Sometimes I need a pseudonym. Not because I’m hiding, but because some web sites offering “free” content have gotten a little too nosey for my tastes. They don’t just want your email to register, they also want your address, phone number, birthdate and occupation.
First I’ll try to get in with BugMeNot. With their large database of logins, I can usually find one that works. There is even a firefox extension that will integrate BugMeNot right into the browser; just right-click and your in. Another option is to change my user agent to appear to be a googlebot (more on that later).
If neither of those options work, it’s time to generate a random identity.
With a few clicks the Fake Name Generator creates a name, random valid address, phone number and working email address. There are about 20 countries to choose from. And yes, it’s a legal service. Just don’t use it for any illegal purposes!
Ahhh… right. Well… I can see fraud increasing dramatically. *sigh*