this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
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Scared (self.cs_career_questions)
submitted 1 year ago by gumgum to c/cs_career_questions
 

I'm extremely scared my career is fucked. My GitHub username is linked to my real identity. However if someone were to search my username up, the reddit profile of someone who posts regularly on porn subs and tweets inflammatory political shit appears.

Searching my name brings up that GitHub. I changed my username on GitHub, but searching my name still shows some Chinese github archival site that links me and my old GitHub name together. I tried emailing the admin and he won't remove it. There's no plausible deniability because that site also lists my projects.

My name is also very unique. I'm so scared. This has been stressing me out for the past few weeks.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago

Put the direct link to your github in your resume so they dont have to search it

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Lol. You are fine.

If it ever comes up (and I doubt it ever will), the answer is a simple "that's not me".

The Internet is a chaotic place. Name collisions are common. Professionals understand this.

[–] gumgum 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Normally I'd think so, but my name is very uncommon. Like I'm the only one with my first name in my city on linkedin.

[–] wischi 14 points 1 year ago

But the world has a few more cities than one.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm saying that it does not matter.

There could only be two people in the world with your name, you and the other guy, and the situation is the same. "That's not me" is the only thing you need to say. Professionals will understand.

[–] odium 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It's fine, most places won't search your github username on a search engine. It's mostly just the places which require security clearances that do background checks that deep. So you'll be fine as long as you're not joining CP0 or smth.

[–] gumgum 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

RIP my dreams of getting a zoan and becoming a giraffe

[–] odium 6 points 1 year ago

Dw, I know of another way to get a zoan. It's a bit of a long shot, but even if it fails, you'll be left with a smile on your face.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can't you just delete your Reddit account (delete all your comments/posts first), and the problem will be solved?

[–] gumgum 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not my reddit account. It's someone else with the same username as me

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

Ah I misread that, If I were you, I'd just make your GitHub look as professional as possible. So that in the extremely rare chance that someone does Google you, it's obvious that the the accounts aren't linked.

That being said, your career is not over and the anxiety you have is all in your head.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have never googled anyone's name or GitHub account. But I'd also be paranoid if I were you to be honest. I don't think your career is fucked though

[–] gumgum 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Are you saying you personally would be paranoid, or that I should be paranoid?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I would personally feel paranoid even if it's extremely unlikely to cause any issues

[–] GJdan 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Pretty sure you can change your GitHub username. At least I did, but it's been awhile. When I got serious about my career I changed my professional online presence to use my real name.

Iirc it said something like, urls using your old username continue to work until someone comes along and makes a new account using your abandoned name.

Edit: here's GitHub's current docs on this, there's a few gotchas worth considering... https://docs.github.com/en/account-and-profile/setting-up-and-managing-your-personal-account-on-github/managing-personal-account-settings/changing-your-github-username

[–] gumgum 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I did change it, but googling my actual name brings up my old one on some archival site.

[–] GJdan 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ah, crap. Guess you're going to have to change your actual name then!

[–] gumgum 3 points 1 year ago
[–] gumgum 4 points 1 year ago

Since the universal response seems to be that I'd be fine (not a single person said I'd be screwed or deal with much setback) I'm trying my best not to worry about it now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it's that bad, change your name. There's nothing special about our names. They are just unique identifiers. Pick a new one and be more reserved about what you post.

[–] gumgum 1 points 1 year ago

I don't think I'll go that far considering all the responses here.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] gumgum 8 points 1 year ago

rather not disclose that, sorry

[–] gumgum 2 points 1 year ago

Update: The person on the archive removed it!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Make a reddit account titled TheRealYourName. Split time between commenting how cute puppy photos look, how good certain attractions are in your local sub, and some actually insightful comments on some domain specific subs.

After a few months you'll have a track record you can point to.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cannot you maybe simply download all the repo you made on your GitHub account and simply creates a new one, and finally, delete the older one?

[–] gumgum 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, since the archive still exists it doesn't accomplish anything sadly

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Then your last chance is to ask either google to remove the reference of this archive in the search engine, either to delete your twitter account and other problematic social accounts.

[–] gumgum 1 points 1 year ago

They're not my accounts! We share usernames.