Once upon a time, I made a Twitter account.

Matter of fact, it was just over seven years ago. My, how time flies.

I was a medical student. I wanted a little more community, as I was living and working in a small town with few opportunities to make friends.

I debated over this for a long time. After all, just a few years prior, I had a stalker. My situation, while far less serious than many others', involved legal proceedings. I was granted an indefinite order of protection, which those familiar with stalking know is hard to get.

The fear that he would find me was immense, especially at that time. So was the loneliness. So I made a decision: my account would be anonymous.

This would allow me to balance my need for security with my need for connection. This is, I believe, the prevailing attitude among those who choose to be anon.

Over the last seven years, I've gotten to know a great many people. I've shared my identity and other information with several of them. Heck, I had to to form @GirlMedMedia, which is one of my proudest accomplishments! I am so grateful that I did!

I have thankfully been spared from any significant breaches or threats, but I've been a part of some significant drama. I have worried that those who had my info would expose my identity, compromising my safety.

I will likely be anonymous forever. I have a hard time imagining a scenario in which I'll be comfortable being on Twitter under my own name.

I'm not ashamed of anything I tweet. I'm not ashamed of the way I interact with others here. But I don't think I'll ever feel fully safe.

While I recognize that internet safety, for all of us, is something that can be taken away at any moment, people can have a reasonable expectation of privacy. That the information they choose to share will not be used for threatening or harmful purposes.

If your initial reaction to witnessing bad behavior, or even just behavior that you don't like, online is to investigate their identity and out them to their school or employer, you need to take a step back.

Exceptions, of course, apply. If you see behavior that is illegal or violent, for example, that might warrant a more intense course of action.

The world really probably doesn't need more internet vigilantes. There are avenues to pursue *first* if you are truly and honestly concerned for your or others' safety.

But the correct response, in nearly every situation online or off, is not to manifest your own fears of harassment or harm as attempts to do the same to someone else. That's not your job.

You do not get to threaten other people just because you feel uncomfortable.

You do not get to wield power over others just because you feel uncomfortable.

You do not get to use students, residents, nurses, or marginalized people or communities to ease your own discomfort. No.

If this app, and communication within it, causes you distress, please seek out the support you need.

If you feel like threatening someone else's sense of personal or professional safety, don't.

Let's all take care of ourselves and each other, yes?

#DocsAgainstDoxxing

Also, if you're mad about anything I tweet, I can tell you - my employer is already aware of my social media. Several of my students follow me and figured me out. They know, or at least they very easily could. Spend your energy elsewhere.