What should be recorded about visible usernames and account IDs?¶

Visible usernames and account IDs are often the quickest route to identifying the correct account, but they must be recorded precisely and in context.

Evidential caution: that a display name uniquely identifies an account. Display names may be duplicated, changed, translated or selected by another user.

What this means¶

Where both a display name and an underlying account ID are visible, preserve both. The display name may assist recognition, while the stable identifier is usually more useful for provider enquiries.

Be aware of account switching. A device may show several accounts, workspaces, profiles or tenants. Record which one was active and which others were visible.

Identifiers should later be compared with provider records, device evidence and other sources. They are useful anchors, not proof of personal attribution.

What to check or do next¶

• Record the exact username, handle, email address, phone number, profile URL, account number or provider-generated ID that is visible. Preserve punctuation, capitalisation, spaces, symbols and leading zeros.
• Capture where the identifier appeared. Record the service, application, webpage, device and account context. A name shown in a contact list may be a locally saved label rather than the other person’s actual account identity.
• Do not navigate deeper into the account solely to search for identifiers unless the benefit justifies the evidential risk. Opening profiles or settings may create activity records or alert another user.
• If only part of an identifier is visible, record the visible portion exactly and note that it was incomplete. Do not infer the missing characters.
• If a person states that an account belongs to them, record that statement separately from the technical identifier.