When you join the forum you are asked to choose a user name. This will be the name you are recognised by so it’s worth-while giving some thought to your choice of username. It’s the name your new friends on the internet will come to know you by, so you want a name that you like and that you feel is a good representation of you.

Because Cancer Chat is anonymous we would suggest you pick a username that you feel represents you but that isn’t going to compromise your anonymity in anyway.

Do not post anything that could personally identify you
For your safety and protection, we ask that you do not use your full name as your username or include your email address, web address, telephone number or postal address anywhere in your post or in your profile. Some internet searches will link to posts on the forum (e.g. if you search for cancer related information on Google) so this is also why it is better to remain anonymous. For similar reasons, we also ask you to refrain from naming your hospital or healthcare professionals. Another reason we ask you not to post your email address on the forums is because the last thing you want is people hassling you with email messages or adding your address to their spamming lists!

The same care should be taken when choosing your avatar (profile image). We have a range of images you can choose from or you are free to upload one of your own but please remember that this forum can be read by anyone, anywhere in the world, and is routinely stored on search engines and external computers that  Cancer Research UK has no control over and so if you decide to upload a picture of yourself this can be seen by anyone browsing the forum

These rules are to help protect you and others from intrusive contact from third parties you may not know. We advise caution if you want to meet another Cancer Chat user. If you do choose to meet another user you do so at your own risk and should take common sense precautions.

This is a public forum
And finally, remember your posts can be seen by anyone browsing the internet.
All messages are indexed by search engines such as Google. This ensures that the site continues to attract new users and the forums remain vibrant, but bear this in mind before you go into personal details about your family, your treatment or where you live.

If ever you have any concerns about your safety on Cancer Chat don’t hesitate to get in touch cancerchat@cancer.org.uk  We’re here to help