Shoq 🌿Mar 12, 2023

RESEARCH POLL #207

A year out, when the Fediverse is everywhere among business, government, family, school and friends, will you always be comfortable with things like: 1) contacting and discussing personal matters, 2) reaching out to agencies for help, or 3) yammering about a weird interest or hobby in front of your entire social graph of followers? Or will you prolly do what many on Twitter did: use another account just for things you don't want to over-share with your main social network?

I'd want a less-public account for ONLY this.
16.7%
I'd want a less-public account for MANY reasons.
51.8%
Meh. No-issue. I have no secrets—from anyone!
31.5%
Poll ended at .
Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMar 12, 2023

@shoq 3 -- The only reason I don't use my real name here or on Reddit (same uname) is if I say anything that someone (unreasonably, since Im usually quite respectful to anyone) takes issue with and comes to find me in real life. But apart from self-doxxing, there's nothing I wouldn't say here I wouldn't say to anyone in person in real life.

10 years from now when I'm Prime Minister Spruce Tree and some reporter correlates me to this account, Ill be "yep. I said all that" without concern.

Show threadShoq 🌿
@tezoatlipoca So, you'd wouldn't think twice about say, discussing your arthritis, constipation, or mental health issues with your physician in front of your followers? Or asking your trans kid's high school coach why he won't let her play? Or asking an accountant whether deducting the home office on your yacht was permitted or not?
Mar 12, 2023 at 9:52pmWeb
Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMar 12, 2023

@shoq There's always consideration for your audience, so if we're talking real life, then A: uh.. maybe not everywhere all the time. Time and place.

But to my followers on socials, I'd talk about arthritis, constipation meds, struggles with alcohol (I'm better now), abusive BPD ex-wife etc. I find talking about things (w/ anyone who'll listen) cathartic. They, might find it helpful. Your friends/followers on socials have opted-in. If your problems aren't for them, they can opt-out.

Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMar 12, 2023
@shoq *Dude, I like that spruce tree fella, he's super smart and usually I like what he has to say, but he talks about his arthritis all the time, so I just filter out that keyword.*
Show threadShoq 🌿Mar 12, 2023
@tezoatlipoca Of course, that's a personal choice to make. I wouldn't make it, nor would many others. To cite a private example given me, "I've ordered a rental car via twitter." Sure, but would you go back and forth with Hertz about whether their vomit cleaning fee was justified, or in my case, would I want my Breitbartnews enemies knowing where I rent my vehicles? No, I would not. There are countless examples.
Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMar 12, 2023

@shoq Comes down to how much personal life identifying you share in any forum. The people you interact with in real life have the advantage of knowing the Real You context. Of course Spruce lives in Philly, I work with him at Company IN Philly.

So if I say I live in Philly on *here* and I say I had an argument over the vomit cleaning fee w/ the Avis agent at the airport yesterday afternoon, well that narrows it down to either Susan or Joe. So I don't say where and when for anything.