Can someone explain this forum habit?

[Jack]

On this and similar forums and communities I see a lot of oblique references to the poster's workplace for no apparent reason:

- Cee Vee Ess
- Anything-Mart
- The Mart with a Star
- Any such description of the name or logo of the workplace

The way these are used seems to suggest that it's more than a meaningless meme that's fallen into custom. In most cases it makes it look like the poster is trying to avoid detection by some person who could get them into Trouble should they find explicit references to the workplace and identify the poster. That can't be, though, because I see pretty much no real names here, and in many cases the alteration of the company name does very little to actually disguise it.

What's the reason, then, for not simply saying the name of the company or not saying it?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Corporate toadies don't need real names to get somebody in trouble for posting here. All they may need is a location.

Believe it or cram it, some companies have people go onto forums like this, so they can identify "troublemakers" and make an example of them. My company has a policy that forbids me from saying the kinds of things I do about it, and I know I'm violating the hell out of it. That's why I hide my identity, the name of my company, and the names of my co-workers.

So yes, it is to avoid detection by people who can identify us and get us into trouble.

This practice is encouraged by the owner of the forum himself. We shouldn't have to be putting our livelihoods at risk just because we need to get some things off our chests.

[crazylegs]

It helps to prevent the post being found by a search engine, and therefore reducing the risk of the poster being found by their company.

[Jack]

Cool, thanks.