alaveteli
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mysociety
Support making requests under pseudonyms via an account with a username corresponding to a real name
We've had cases where users have made requests under pseudonyms, but have then published the results of their work under their real names.
Perhaps we need to deal with this situation within the software.
For pro users, revealing who actually made the request, might be something revealed in conjunction with unembargoing.
Users might want a batch specific pseudonym.
This feature would enable the requests to be listed on the user's main account, so form part of their public record of work.
This feature might not be attractive to existing traditional journalists, but could be attractive to those prepared to operate in a more open manner.
Linking to https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/issues/285#issuecomment-452820327
It might be good to give users an opportunity to give the reason they used a pseudonym.
This feature could be of use to those who don't feel safe making FOI requests in their "real" names, but who want the option to be able to be associated with, and take credit for, their requests in the future.
Journalists who make requests under pseudonyms due to a fear their requests might be treated differently and perhaps being rejected are another potential use-case.
One could envisage someone who is associated with a public body not wanting to be publicly associated with a request until their relationship with that body is over.
The question has arisen as to if people who have used pseudonyms have, under the Right to Rectification, a right to have their requests associated with their real name (or a new pseudonym of their choice!).