There is – without a doubt – a reason to be a little paranoid on the internet. With identity theft schemes and the like occurring on a more frequent basis all over the world, one can never be too careful. As a long-standing geek that knows possibly more than I should about networking, communication protocols and ways to exploit either, I am among the first in line to question any such errant behavior on the web. And clearly, I have a web presence (though its magnitude is somewhat debatable). But I long ago stopped worrying about the use of my name on the web. Now I think it’s time that you stop worrying as well. Especially if you’re trying to make a name for yourself.

What are you really protecting?

The reason many people are concerned about using their real name on the web is for protection of identity. But your name is just one aspect of a much bigger picture. Without other such information (Social Security Number, Tax Number, License Number), there’s not a whole lot a would-be identity thief could do. You of course should be protecting those important documents, and that stuff shouldn’t be floating about the web regardless. You certainly shouldn’t be shipping that information out through unencrypted email or using it through unsecured sites or sites with questionable security. But your name alone does not give anyone enough tools to breach your identity.

As An Artist, Your Name is Everything

I am a photographer and as such, there is a name that I attach to every single piece of work that I share with the public. That name is my name. My name is associated with close to 500 images in some form or another that I have personally released for the eyes of the public. It is not associated with a meaningless username on Flickr, nor is it attached to only my username on Google+. And for the record, I use my real name on both sites. But supposing I did create a Flickr account with a username “Coplan” (my old alias, in case you’re curious) and I never filled out the name field, my account would reflect “No Real Name Given” and my work would be associated with only “Coplan”. I don’t want that association. I want an association with my real name – a name I can defend, protect and stand by. I want it associated with my brand.

But it’s more than just a brand. Your name can protect you and your works. Under many governments, your work is automatically protected by copyright laws just by sharing it and proclaiming that you are the creator. Thanks to the DMCA, this also applies to digital media (ahem: Flickr). The United States is set up that way. One could register each and every one of their works for a fee – and many top artists and photographers do – but it isn’t absolutely required. Full disclosure: Under the law, it is very difficult for you to press charges if your work is not registered. But let’s be practical here: In the world of photography, if you can produce the original RAW file and the other person claiming to be the author cannot, it’s a pretty cut and dry case (yet another reason to shoot in RAW). If you aren’t going to register your creations, the process is further complicated by the fact that your work is not directly associated with your real name. If you are going to register your works, it must be registered under someone that is a legal entity in the country. In other words, it would be registered under “Daniel Travis North”, not “Coplan”.

A Place for Aliases

Of course there may still be reasons why someone might be paranoid, and so they may still wish to operate under a fictional name. But if you ever intend to sell your work, it’s in your best interest to make sure you follow the law. Under US law, anyone who operates a business under their legal name can operate it under a sole proprietorship. This is automatic and some states don’t require you to register your business (but you still need to file your supplemental income, of course). If you wish to operate under a different name, that name needs to be registered with your state (the procedures vary by state). The fee is pretty insignificant – only about $70 USD in my state – and so it may be a worthwhile investment. That way, you can operate under any name you wish, earn your supplemental income, and have that extra buffer between your business and online persona and your real life.

And with that, I leave you with an interesting story about one of the greatest Pop Icons of all time: David Bowie. As you probably guessed, Bowie’s real name is not Bowie. As it turns out, when he was coming up on the music scene, there was a conflict between his real name – David Jones – and another artist already releasing music under their shared name. You know him as Davey Jones, formerly of the Monkeys (despite their poorly done television show, they were legitimate musicians). As Davey Jones was first to the scene, he held the rights to the name in the music industry. In part for trademark reasons, and also as a way to separate himself from the Monkeys crooner, he took on his trademark name, David Bowie, and rose to the top. We can learn a lot from Bowie’s past, but the key takeaway here is that your name is your brand. Stand by it.