OK - I need help

[TNOE]

I post on another forum - anonomously of course.

How can someone find out who you really are?

[KitchenWitch]

1. They could track you via IP address

[TNOE]

3. But still

my user name on this forum is different than my user name on another forum

I understand IP address - I guess they could call the company?

[Blue-Jay]

2. personal details, location, IP address....stuff like that.

[TNOE]

4. And if the moderator did this

and outed me - isn't that kinda illegal or unethical?

[Orsino]

5. The forum administrator can see your IP address...

...and can probably read your browser version and OS. Geolocation of your IP isn't very precise, and only your own ISP can give up your identity.

[TNOE]

6. Seems like a huge invasion of my privacy

So - I'm under an anonomous name - and the moderator can out me? Seems highly unethical - and maybe even illegal? Who is a moderator to check me out?

[Orsino]

7. The forum moderator knows you only by IP...

...unless you gave up additional personal info when registering. Your Internet Service Provider (with your billing info), presumably, is a different entity. It's probably true that the one knows nothing about the other.

A moderator on DU is just another registered member with some administrative privileges, and couldn't out you. On another forum, who knows? What do you believe this other moderator knows about you?

[TNOE]

8. What I do for a living

and my last name. I wish there were some recourse - but apparently I've got the Mod all shook up, so I'm thinking he knows he made a huge faux paus! Its just an invasion of my privacy I had not expected on an anonomous message board.

[Orsino]

9. I'm not clear on who's who here...

...but am guessing that the mod is also the site owner. In any case, you seem to be saying that the mod has already outed you--possibly based on correlation between certain of your "anonymous" identities?