anonymous blogging, trolls, misogyny and ethics

[rm]

http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/is-it-ok-to-blog-about-this-woman-anonymously/

Chat amongst yourselves. I'm off to save the world (er, so not really, but let's pretend, okay?)

Comments

[woogledesigns.livejournal.com]

How do you define anonymity?

[argentla.livejournal.com]

To include, for instance:

- Publishing under a pseudonym
- Participating online using a handle or alias
- Identifying one's self only by first name, or by a nickname.

All of these, by the blogger's logic, could be used in an "abusive" way. However, let's consider, for instance, the implications for women if every post made in an online discussion, every membership in a dating site, every photographic modeling job published online had to be accompanied by her full real name. (And why not her home address, as well, just so that no one will confuse the Jane Smith of Phoenix, Arizona with the Jane Smith of Portland?)

I'm amazed by the argument that there is no "legitimate" reason for anyone to write or post anonymously. It's very much in the same line as the people who advocate requiring people to care identification at all times, because after all, only criminals have anything to hide from the legitimate authorities.

A professor I once had, a Basque who'd grown up in Franco-era Spain, remarked wrly, "Americans like to flirt with fascism because they've never really had to live with it. Believe me, after you've had policemen demand to see your papers a few times, the thrill wears off very quickly."

[(Anonymous)]

I think there is an important distinction to be made between pseudonymity, wherein you do not have to make your personal identity plain to be seen and anonymity wherein your personal identity can never be known or revealed.

The internet already allows prolific pseudonymity but not necessarily any anonymity, as I mentioned below.

[woogledesigns.livejournal.com]

I think there is an important distinction to be made between pseudonymity, wherein you do not have to make your personal identity plain to be seen and anonymity wherein your personal identity can never be known or revealed.

The internet already allows prolific pseudonymity but not necessarily any anonymity, as I mentioned below.

Hahaha lj logged me out so I appeared anonymouse. This amuses me XD