The obligation to use real names

Where is this explained? What is the explanation that my real name also appears to none members (in public)? Is this an Australian legal requirement?

Some questions and thoughts around this theme. In what way does BMD defend my personal privacy? I am DVR Studio license owner. Apparently posting the forum is not included in this license because I have to pay it with my privacy. Or do you want me to post all my questions and contributions to product support to keep my privacy?

It's explained by Terry Frechette at BMD in the locked post above this one at the top of the Off-Topic forum section.

Thank you for your response. Yes, I have read that post, and it prompted me to share my thoughts. However, it does not address why individuals who do not participate in the forum should have access to my real name.

The stated motivation for requiring real names is:
"We absolutely believe that the best way to run a forum and foster meaningful conversations is for people to know exactly who they are speaking with. This is why we require real names to be used, which is outlined in the agreement that all members accept upon joining."

While this principle supports respectful and open dialogue among forum members—who are the only ones able to post—it does not explain why non-members, who do not actively engage in discussions, should also be able to see my name. Cultural norms around sharing personal information vary. For instance, in everyday interactions, I may choose to share only my first name, depending on how well I know the person.

This raises a privacy concern. I am comfortable with fellow forum members knowing my name, but I do not see why inactive readers or strangers—who have not agreed to abide by the forum’s rules—should also have access to this information.

Furthermore, as security literature highlights, personal data can be exploited in social engineering attacks. To enhance security for both myself and other forum members, it would be advisable to restrict name visibility to members only.

it does not explain why non-members, who do not actively engage in discussions, should also be able to see my name.

This is a good point! I wonder if BM could fix this so that only registered users can see our real names.

I have shared my concerns with the forum administrator. In the end no other option was offered than to delete my account . My forum posts will not be deleted. So in a sense you could sign up with full name, post your query and then request account deletion to get your full name deleted. Disadvantage is then that you have to sign up every time before you post. He did however kindly offered to change my username before deletion. In conclusion they do grant username privacy without membership. Fortunately we have AI and other forums that do understand my privacy rights.

Nobody cares if we see your real name. They're not asking for personally-identifiable information. Even then, nobody cares if you use a fake real name. They're not using up any resources to make sure Bob is really Bob and not Robert. Nobody wants this board to be secure. It's a resource for everyone.