Complete manual/128/en

Persistent pseudonymity involves using a fictitious name consistently over a period of time. A pseudonym may also be referred to as a ‘nickname’, a ‘handle’ or a moniker. As discussed above, there is a myriad of reasons why you might want to use a name other than the one you were born with. Remember that using a pseudonym means you still have to be very careful about keeping your pseudonymous work separate from your personal life, which means paying close attention to potentially identifying digital traces created under that pseudonym (such as a photo that can be traced to you, or an email account or forum comment that you made with your real name can be linked with your pseudonym, or revealing your ‘real’ IP address the same way you could reveal your ‘real name’ by not masking it using Tor Broswer, a VPN, or other tools). For an excellent example of how a pseudonymous blogger’s ‘real identity’ was revealed using digital traces, read the ‘Gay Girl in Damascus’ story above. All of this means you have to be really sure this is something you want to do and that you are ready to make the effort required. If so, here's some things to consider.