You did let yourself carry away. It was wrong. You know this. I do have to correct you though. You said she became your actual identity on this site. That won't be true to me. It was your avatar, for sure... but who you are and were is atalanta, the girl from Norway who likes cat pics and bad jokes. But also the person who clearly made a terrible choice. You're correcting yourself and standing up for what you did wrong. To my knowledge you never used your pics to deceive anyone, catfishing them or anything else. You're contributing to this place in a positive way. I won't use much space at this time or place to criticize the ways you were outed here by someone, without them giving you a chance to correct things yourself, or even giving you a chance to defend yourself on their post as they blocked you. You got the courage to face your mistake and you did not lose my respect or friendship. <3

I absolutely believe you and I'm glad you came out and cleared the air. That takes a lot of guts to disarm yourself like this. I'm sorry you had that negative experience that lead you to this but sometimes it's those experiences that allow us to grow in life. I'm still happy to call you a friend and put this behind us.

Your identity on this site is your posts, your cats, figure skating Eurovision self.
To make this post takes a lot of guts, there is no one that hasn't ever lied about themselves, very few that have will have made such a sincere apology.
I wish you'd been approached directly first, but it doesn't matter, if anything, the way you have handled this and faced it deepens my respect for you.

That’s understandable really
I’m glad to know the full story
Good job on owning up to it

You’ve never used these pictures to trick or hurt anyone so I won’t hold it against you

You’re still a great friend and a wonderful person no matter who’s picture you use

Also, I’ve never seen you say those pictures are you except the “bootie” post

We’ve all made mistakes and have backed ourselves into a wall before
It takes a big person to own up to them

I dont know why people are getting so bent out of shape about this?

This the internet we can all be as open or as anonymous as we like. Online gaming requires usernames but some of the games are fantasy amd make believe yet nobody on those gets outed as a catfish.

I dont understand why people feel the need to out people who arent using their own pic this is supposed to be a site for anonymity.

It took guts for you to tell your story and I'm sorry you had to go through something as terrible as that.

Oh I have a confession I'm a unicorn 😂

🤗🤗

This seems a sw pattern. Get outed. Comeback with a victim story, get sympathy and then be a hero... I don't know u and not trying to be mean just stating facts.

What is really remarkable is the anger that users are projecting through their second accounts. The only person that has [i]any[/i] right to show any anger in this situation is the model whose pictures you took. Everyone else is just displaying whiny behaviour, and not from their main account. What they are missing is your apology, which is sincere. I get there will be people that will say why it's wrong, and most can see you already know that, for some it affects their trust which is also understandable. But this anger and hatred seems a little ott.... I mean it's not as if they're even hoping for make-up sex afterwards

Compared to the fuck ups I made in my life you're an angel :)
You never had malicious intent, you actually had good reasons.
Unlike other people on SW you actually own up to your mistakes, and that is a very respectable quality.

I’m not certain what happened of course, and I really just stumbled across this due to a comment someone made on your most recent post. I’m sorry for that and what you’ll have to probably put up with from now on. I will be honest and say I don’t really understand your reasoning behind it, and I still don’t think it’s justified, but it does take guts to still stay here with the same account, apologize, and give your explanation behind it (if it’s true) even after all that’s happened. Not even that, contacting the girl and letting her know what you’ve done was really brave. That really shows how sorry you are if you truly did do that. Either way, I still think you’re a cool user on here. I enjoy your post and comments, and I’m glad you stuck around. I hope you won’t be experiencing too much hate or bullying from this and you can just use the site as normal.

That takes guts

You’ve clearly got a good heart. We all make mistakes, and what matters most is that your intentions were never to deceive or hurt others. So try not to worry about it. I certainly don’t think any less of you. ❤️

Wow what a very true and dear post!!
We all have skeletons I'm sure. Many hide behind their avatars. You did it for safety. That must have been truly horrific for you!
People here that like your posts and your jokes , would truly understand.
Some people use filters to make themselves more appealing and shrug it off as a non filter and their eyes look mental!!!👀 You've done nothing wrong. I'd be proud if my daughter enjoyed a chat site and used a hidden identity. It's ok... you're ok and your cool.. from one cat lover to another may I shake your hand!!!🤝 💚 stay safe lovely!

Like i said in PM atalanta i love you no matter what <3 I duno where i read it but it said we are more than the sum of our parts. Youre SO much more to me than a girl whos face we never saw anyway! Even now i can close my eyes and hear your voice from that post and see how beautiful you are <3

This is a really brave post. It shows how kind you actually are. Apologising on such a large scale so you are considerate to everyone. I respect the way you handle this very much. I hope we will all continue to get along with you. That's my intention at least. 😊

When I first read "I have a confession " I expected you to explain why your profile picture is a bunny not a cat 😐 But, well that's a more interesting story and I appreciate the courage it takes to post such a story

I've always found your personality to be lovely. You're fun and intelligent and you have a quick wit. I don't think you need to use a picture of a pretty girl to get attention (since you're not comfortable with using your own, and I'm sure you're beautiful too <3). I'm sorry about your stalker situation, that is terrifying. :(

Anyway, I hope you'll stick around, because you're well-liked here. <3

This is a very respectable response to whatever went down. We all make mistakes.

I swear if you start saying you are a dog person it's over

I can understand why you did it and how terrified you must have been. You apologized to the other victim other than yourself so in my mind, there is nothing to forgive.

I really appreciate your honesty. I hope your mind and heart find peace. I would gladly be your friend with no expectations other that of friendship. *hugs!*

Your identity is that you're a cool interesting person. Use of that picture does not change that. I literally don't care what you look like or what cover you used, particularly since it's not like you used the images of that girl to manipulate people. You remain cool and interesting.

I don't feel deceived... 🤔 I still think you're you and awesome..

😒 But you never talked to me about potato the cat you bish.. *Signs divorce papers..*

You’re too hard on yourself. You don’t owe anybody anything. Unless you purposely used that girls picture to manipulate and cat fish I think it’s totally fine. :)

I’m so sorry you experienced that. I was stalked by someone in college who spent years trying to find me. It was terrifying even without the ability to locate people that the internet now provides, so I can only imagine how frightened you must’ve been.

There is not a person on here nor anyplace else who has not done some things in their life that they are ashamed of. The courage it took to come online and give your apology is commendable. There are some of us on here who are here because we actually care about others.
Forgive yourself and strive to not let this be a lingering issue, just proceed carefully with whom you connect.
Blessings,
Mike

It's okay. I never fully believed it. Remember when I said I thought you were wealthy? Lol. I noticed your pictures were always too gussied up. They didn't feel real. They weren't selfies, way too doctored. I think you were brave to come out about it though and I'm happy you did. No bad feelings. Everyone makes mistakes and I admire the fact that you owned up to it instead of running away. :)

Broooo so much shookt but I understand now. I hope no stalker anymore. Hugs! 🐈

Kudos to you for publicly coming clean about this, most people wouldn't have bothered (it would have been easier for you just to create a new profile and forget about this one...)... Sorry to hear about the stalker... (I always wonder where do these people get the money to travel the world and spend their time stalking people? Don't they have jobs? Who pays their bills...?) I remember your user ID but not any pics, and anyway I never believe the pictures in the profiles are the "real user"... Lesson learned, right...? You can't go on trusting people on-line, way too many crazies out there... Hope the people here behave well with you and make you feel welcome and not uncomfortable... Always be "on guard" but hopefully that won't prevent you from meeting good people... Good luck!
:)

Even though I never cared for you very much, I commend you for owning up and making this post and I don't approve of the way this was handled by the user who outed you. I can't say this makes me like you any better but it does make me respect you a little more.

🤗

Understandable

I honestly don't ever recall you actually claiming to be the person in the pictures. So that I will not hold against you, especially given your past.

No problem
I take everything and everyone I see and what they say
with a pinch of salt anyway
so no harm

S'okay. Given that you made this post instead of just bailing or making a different profile says enough.

Really, like 40% of people onlime are probably catfishes, anyway, so *shrug*

It doesn't really natter to me who people "really" are, online. Online is just a meeting of consciousness...ess. And, your consciousness is pretty cool, kind, inclusive. Just don't fuck that up, too. :P

If no one outed you would you have made this post? Just curious.

Lol sorry but this sounds a load of utter bs to me. Not hating but given my years of experience with manipulative people this statement is very cut throat re circumstances of stalking etc.

How could you return to a social media site like SW after what happened to you ? .... telling people here you used another persons photo to get through what happened?

That doesn’t add up at all ! I’m not being nasty but my empathy is with the persons picture you used in order to self justify you being found out and the stalking sounds like a way to gain peoples sympathy.

Surely any young individual who had actually been stalked would avoid social media entirely for the sake of their safety and moving forward with their lives ?

Was this not reported to the police ? Did they not advise you to keep away from social media sites being so young and going through stalking ?

Not buying this at all.

And another thing, why have all your I’s in lower cases I is I not i

Your second paragraph describes exactly my first month on SW. When I first joined, I picked a cute pic of me and made it my avatar. Then I mostly lurked around and, like you, started getting lots of random messages just for being here.

It's not easy to figure out how to deal with this place. We're most definitely not in Kansas anymore. So today, I'm completely anonymous. I do tell people where I'm from (Massachusetts, USA) but really nothing more. I don't ask for pics and I don't give pics (mostly ... there have been a few exceptions). I'm here for the convo's, nothing more.

As for how you handled it in the beginning? Well, it is what it is and you've come clean. Really, you did the right thing by telling Lily. She's the only one hurt by it. That must have been difficult and you got my respect for straightening that out first.

You're a good human being

understandable

Well I don't know much about any of this and I want to keep it that way. You have always been kind to me and that is all I care about anyway. You are a sweet person and I hope you get through this little bump in the road without a lot of pain.🦋

im sorry what you went through. and i dont trust anyone online, too many creepers, liars and pretenders. i know a lot of people can be naive online. why didnt you just use a pic of something. like im an apple, people know its not me and im not pretending to be a person. it stays anonymous that way and people wont get caught up or think im someone in the photo or have to put on a show to make people think im this person. i known people who had their online identity stolen people using other peoples pics to try to lure attention ask the tiffany girl on here about someone using her pics for over a year. i know you didnt mean for it to get out of hand but at what point in time was it going to stop? as for talking to people online. im very leery of making friends or talking to people online. i think that should be normal behavior because theres a lot of fantasy that goes online and a lot of sick people online and people who just lie and pretend. i know online people try to make it a popularity contest. but if you want something real dont try to put yourself out there, just find certain people you can trust, because many you really cant.

Awe sorry to hear how this all happened. It sounds like it was a very tricky situation. Hope you are doing okay :)

I'm not reading these massive paragraphs.

As ordered and neat as they are.

There is no excuse for deception.

I don't even know if you agree with the above or not.

If you went out of your way to deceive,
though,

I hope you feel alright, now.

Alright enough to be yourself.

Existing can be rough.

Sometimes it helps to live lighter,

not heavier.

(I'm trying to figure out how, in my own ways.)

Wish you the best.

Aw my god now I understand this, it is ok u will be ok 🤓💕✌️

One of the most brutally honest posts I have seen on here. We didn't talk much and so your behaviour n reasons for putting someone else's pics didn't/don't bother me in the least. But I have a new respect for you after this post. It must have been hard. Kudos to you! 😊🤗

Hopefully I do not elicit too much criticism, but I honestly always take what I read here with some skepticism--since it is anonymous mostly, I am sure there are a lot of people pretending or saying things they may not believe...many people come here just for some fun and relaxation...

Love you buddy. 🤗

Hey I still consider you a friend even though you probably don't remember nor know who I am. 🐎 You were always nice to me. Keep your head up. Sorry you had that experience. Keep moving forward.
-hugs