My concern is more the digital footprints we (unknowingly) leave behind. Someone ambitious enough with a name and server could track down a linkshell forum, from there there might be a thread where people share pictures or other RL information like their job or roughly where they live when it comes to planning good times for LS events. Even an innocuous slip of a first name from someone the person's more intimate with could lead to a clue that would further direct someone to a blog or social networking site where cross-referencing info can help narrow down possibilities. With the existence of sites that attempt to append email addresses to real people, that can also cut down on time needed in investigation.

Is all this possible now? Yes. Is it a guarantee that a poster with Handle Y is using that as their in-game name? No. Are there people who feel "obligated" to preserve some level of "knowledge" or "skill" here and will go to any length to do so? Yeah. It's not too hard to get on their bad side, either, especially when it comes to opinions.

Even so, while the boards might not be the sole instigator of malicious intent, it could later become a point of reference for those digging up dirt on someone. Mules aside, the only option people concerned have with this is to not post, and that's not good business.