I got on line with a Commadore 64 computer with a 300 baud modem on Xmas day 1983. I fought to keep my identity private for about 15 years. I also warned all women, liberals, children and above all gun control advocates to do the same. Those years before the web and web browsers was a fascist free for all. Anyone could delete, edit, deny and threaten anyone they choose. The political areas were about 100 to 1 conservative to liberal and the game was SHUTUP WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. With the quality of users in those days was hardcore asocial twits and twats. Women were harassed and constantly hit upon, liberals were afraid to say anything anywhere without their phones ringing and threats. I fought it for 15 years. DON’T EVER EVER THINK OF USING YOUR REAL NAME. And if you are stupid enough to put up your address or phone number and say something someone doesn’t like, you get what you deserve. The most problematic twits and twats were not as one would expect, the fundamentalist Christians, but the NRA/ LIBERTARIAN nutcakes.
When the web came to town there was a bit more control, it no longer was run by individual BBSs. After a few years of the Web it became harder and harder to keep ones privacy. Recently there is no longer any sense in even bothering. A billion people are putting up there names their GPS coordinates and pictures everyday!