I am still baffled by the use of Real Names online..

As a late 70's child that got the internet when I was in my late teens it was unthinkable at that time to give anyone any personal info about you online. "Stranger Danger" and everyone online should be thought of as an axe murder was the dominant position

I am not sure when or why this shift happen to where it was common for people to not only post their full personal info but also post real time location information about where they are and what they are doing...

It is all baffling to me even today

Facebook and other social networks (Google+ for example) played a huge role in this* by enforcing real name policies. It's more profitable to advertise to users when you know who they are, where they live, how they shop, what they eat, etc, and not just their screen name.

* https://www.npr.org/2011/09/28/140879480/who-are-you-really-...

Past twenty years, using your own name is authoritative and great for marketers to verify and validate you. With the rise of social media, no longer do you have to know basic html, or hosting.. or be in the community of random IRC people not trusting one another.

I use my real name precisely _because_ everything I say is being recorded. It's a guard against the foolish belief that any "anonymity" is real and can be relied on.