MetaChat - Ask MeCha: Should I 'sell' my online identity?

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31 March 2007

Ask MeCha: Should I 'sell' my online identity? →[More:]
An email from another MeFite (not a lurker but not not a familiar MetaPersonality) complaining after I stopped updating my "Photoslop" photocomics has led to an interesting offer. With the opinion that they could do a better job of being "wendell" than wendell, this person is offering to pay me for most of the unused or under-used domains I own. The weird thing is: this person also wants my "wendell" personna, including the WendellWit.com blog and my accounts at MeFi and elsewhere as "wendell", believing that it carries some value in goodwill that would make building an audience for the sites easier. I insisted that it never worked that way for me, but that's the only way this person will make a deal. Under the deal, I could go back to MeFi and other places with a new nick and identify myself as "the Old Wendell" but not use anything with "wendell" as part of a username; the "new" wendell would keep their true identity totally secret. We're even talking over an 'escape clause' that would give me my identity back if the New Wendell decides to quit (which I consider rather likely). From all our communications and my research on this person's previous web identity, I would not likely be ashamed of anything they'd do with my "name". (If you didn't know, Wendell is not my REAL name) This does not involve a sell-my-soul amount of money, but it is tempting, as is the idea of doing less web activity while somebody else keeps my 'name' going. But still... it's weird.

Should I take the offer? (The person wants to start at the beginning of the month, which means either Tomorrow or May 1st) Would YOU take such an offer? Are there any legal/copyright issues I should be seriously thinking about? Is this person nutes? Am I nuts? (And should I put this up on AskMeFi? or will I be laughed off the site?)

post by: wendell at: 04:33 | 26 comments

This person is out to make money? As opposed to just living some sort of internet fantasy life?

I'd ask for a cut of the future profits.

posted by mullacc 31 March | 05:49

What an intriguing offer. I'd go for it myself, I think, though I'd maybe put a time limit on the initial deal, so that after a year you could take back the name if anything went awry, and charge more 'rent' on the name if everything turned out well.

A few people have offered to buy various 'jack' accounts off me in the past, including a bizarrely high offer for del.icio.us/jack ($500, I think it was) - I just assumed it was some sort of scam/phishing type thing, but am now wondering if there's money to be made signing up for every new web service at launch using desirable usernames, then auctioning them off if a site gets big.

posted by jack_mo 31 March | 06:55

I once had a serious offer for "mischief" back in my Plastic days and just before Carl drove that site into a sinkhole. At the time I was researching the potential value of "web celebrity" for my boss, a rather well-known industry evangelist in his own right.

One concept we both decided was workable, relative to the risk involved, was licensing a web identity. In this way, the owner retains some control over its use (much moreso than with an escape clause) while forcing upon the client quite a bit of incentive to perform well or risk losing his entire investment when time came to renegotiate a continuing contract.

posted by mischief 31 March | 07:08

"Licensing" sounds like a good idea for a counter-offer. At least it'll help determine how serious the potential "new wendell" is about this whole thing.

posted by wendell 31 March | 07:34

Wendell, this is really intriguing, and I would definitely put ask it on the green. Me in your shoes: the only identity area that might give me pause would be my identity as the writer at MSNBC - you use the name Wendell there as well, right?

posted by iconomy 31 March | 07:45

How bizarre. I don't think I would do it unless there was a very large amount of money involved. On the other hand it could give me a chance to completely re-invent myself on the web which would be fun.

posted by sveskemus 31 March | 08:21

Yes, ico, I thought about that, but I haven't written anything for them since December, my 'by-line' uses my real last name, and there was always some hassle involved in using what they called my "on-line alias", so changing to my 'other' name in my writing for them or other markets shouldn't be a big deal.

And sves, the 're-inventing' opportunity is one of the things that I'm considering a positive for the deal. Lately, I've been less happy with the Wendell part of me than I used to be...

This thing has kept me up all night... I might as well submit it to AskMeFi, then lose consciousness :)

posted by wendell 31 March | 08:29

I say go for it

posted by matteo 31 March | 09:23

It sounds like an intriguing offer.

Having said that I avoid making deals with people who don't have a good grasp of reality, and anyone making this sort of deal probably doesn't. But hey, that's just me...

posted by dodgygeezer 31 March | 10:17

You do realize what day it is tomorrow, don't you?

posted by trondant 31 March | 10:30

I think it's interesting that the MeFi response has been overwhelmingly negative, but you've had some positive responses here.

Considering that you could still identify yourself as "The Old Wendell", I'd be inclined to do it. I'd want the escape clause for sure. If nothing else, it would be very interesting.

Assuming this isn't a joke.

posted by agropyron 31 March | 10:30

Would you have to give the Autobot Matrix of Leadership to the new wendell, too?

posted by Greg Nog 31 March | 10:59

No, jonmc is holding the Matrix of Leadership for the next month; I've already FedExed it to NYC.

posted by wendell 31 March | 11:06

Don't do it. Selling domains is one thing, but selling your login names so someone can continue to pretend to be you sounds like a nightmare. "Wendell" should not be a commodity.

posted by seanyboy 31 March | 11:24

I can't believe anyone is considering this seriously.

posted by kyleg 31 March | 12:53

So are you setting everyone up for some stupid April Fools joke? Because that would be really lame.

posted by cmonkey 31 March | 13:42

Actually, by "lame" I mean "really fucking stupid and the complete antithesis of funny". I should make that clear.

posted by cmonkey 31 March | 13:49

Could this end well?

I think it's freaky and doubt I'd do it myself.

posted by plinth 31 March | 14:28

"really fucking stupid and the complete antithesis of funny"
That would be the Ashton Kutcher standard for practical joking, right?

posted by wendell 31 March | 14:35

"the 're-inventing' opportunity is one of the things that I'm considering a positive for the deal"

Wow, do I understand well the basis for that statement.

posted by mischief 31 March | 14:58

I just got whacked by a clue by four: Can one trademark a web identity? Hmm, I'm getting interested in this all over again.

Must.consult."Clarissa..."

posted by mischief 31 March | 15:04

I thought it was pretty clever, cmonkey.

posted by agropyron 31 March | 15:56

am now wondering if there's money to be made signing up for every new web service at launch using desirable usernames, then auctioning them off if a site gets big.

I sold a gmail account once for US$25. Sometimes I think that I should have asked for more.

posted by Memo 31 March | 16:47

I made precisely £321.50 flogging Gmail invites (for charity, not me). Weirdly, folk still leave comments on my auction post begging for invites.

Anyway, was this an April Fool thing, or not?

posted by jack_mo 01 April | 06:56

Considering that you could still identify yourself as "The Old Wendell", ...
Or even "The Real Wendell".

posted by dg 01 April | 18:07

If this was an April Fools thing at least it was funny. Not ha-ha-all-the-questions-at-ask-me-are-in-jokes funny, but funny nonetheless.

posted by sveskemus 02 April | 02:14

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