Indeed. The Internet is indeed a mask that can allow anyone, from children to the elderly (to super-intelligent dogs) to engage in communication without ever realizing who the other is. To surf without anyone knowing who
you are. This topic of anonymity has been one that we have been investigating in the entirety of this report.
We first examined the history of the subject, from the early days of the WELL, the first (and non-anonymous) major communication system. The first
anonymous posts on newsgroups began in 1988, when discussing sensitive and taboo topics. This soon grew into a greater demand for privacy, which brought about the creation of anonymizing programs, such as the aptly named Anonymizer. While these programs aren’t in as great of use today, there is still a large amount of anonymous interaction, which is only further fueled by online gaming, and shall undoubtedly continue to grow.
We then looked at the arguments towards anonymity, beginning with the positives. We examined three arguments in particular. The first is that anonymity is a Constitutionally-protected right which is meant to protect the unpopular opinion, often protecting people who are trying to expose problems in the world or in their governments. The next argument was more psychological in nature, dealing with using the ability to role play in different personalities as a means of finding one’s true self. Finally, we examined the correlations between anonymity and the capability for more honest communication and better relationships.
We then looked at four arguments
against online anonymity. The first was that with a lack of identity comes a lack of accountability, which often results in a lack of decency. This results in online problems such as flame wars and worse. The second argument is that people with a tenuous grasp on reality might be made more delusional in their search to find their true self. Thirdly, we discuss the very real problem of online crime being assisted by anonymity. We further focused this in the fourth argument, which looked at the possibility of child predators using pseudonyms to attract children.
We then examined how different governments have looked at anonymity on the Internet and in general. We first studied
McIntyre v. Ohio Election Commission, which affirmed the value of anonymity in our world. We then looked at one of the first cases in which a government stepped in to compromise anonymity. Finally, we examined the various levels of Internet regulation across the world, focusing primarily on the registration enforcement in the People’s Republic of China.
Finally, we examined my own opinion on the subject, which is definitely in favor of anonymity. I hope that at this point, you have enough information to form at least a preliminary opinion on the subject. Whether you are in favor of online anonymity or believe it to be too dangerous, it is currently a very large part of Internet culture, which is in turn now makes up a significant part of world culture. Please be sure to make your voice heard by voting in the polls and discussing in the guestbook in this site's Miscellaneous section.
I thank you for taking the time to read this investigation. I will leave you now with a small widget that many people use as signatures in forums; it shows you where you’re coming from and what system you’re using. It’s things like this which can make one wonder exactly how anonymous you really are…
