Who am I when I am who I am online

There has been a lot of talk recently about privacy on the internet, such as the recent Facebook privacy issues, even one of my favourite game companies has got in on it recently by implementing a feature which will force your real name to appear on all posts on their official forums. This, along with the countless other stories of late, got me thinking about the internet, privacy, and anonymity. Especially when I see the reactions both for and against.

This is a difficult subject and one I am sure I will struggle to accurately and cover, but I will try my best. I will try and keep it focused to try and help keep it on track.

So, in the words of Joker, and here we go…

Anonymity…

By its nature, or at least its apparent nature, the internet has been a place where we can recreate ourselves, forge a new and bolder identity. We create nicknames, identities sometimes common between multiple websites, an online identity that defines us and yet provides a later of protection and anonymity.

Know, I use a common nickname across multiple sites, Lurch Kimded, and it is easily seen by a search that I also use this in conjunction with my real name, Adam Howie. So I have already linked my “real life” with my “virtual life”, but for others, for a variety of reasonable, and for some insignificant reasons, this is not an option as it can have “real world” implications, which are covered later.

Anonymity gives protection for those that need it to be able to gain the courage to speak. For me, for a long time before I really linked the two identities, it allowed me to create a persona online that was more confident and more articulate than I am in real life, due to the nature of being to take my time in replying and then editing and re-editing what I wrote (although some would doubt this after reading this post I am sure ).

It can also allow the person to explore issues that they would not feel comfortable with exploring if there was no degree of anonymity. For example think what would happen if a person knew everything they said in confidence in a private session was not only to be made public but also that their name was to be attached to it for all to see with a simple search of google? An extreme example I grant, but it does help, I hope, to try and paint the advantage that some degree of anonymity can bring in certain forums.

However this same “protection” is also a way others can hide as they create dissent, hate, vile, and abuse (more commonly known as “trolls” and “trolling”). It also allows more sensible people who through the anonymous nature of nicknames (which of course many change across sites) have no fear of a real life implication of their online activity (in general) and so they lash out in anger spewing forth vitriol online that they would never say in a face to face discussion/ This activity of course feeds itself, and so grows, fuelled by trolls and the ego bolstering of anonymity and becomes a a “flame war”. (I realise this is over simplifying but I think it sums up the state of forums and comment threads across the web for those lucky enough to not know what its like… of course they’ll probably not be reading this so its a bit moot really)

Spam of course is also an issue, but is, for the post at least, a side issue.

Of course, a part of this aggressive nature of anonymity is in part due to a lack of maturity but also a lack of online etiquette, which when I first started on the internet (back in the hazy days of the mid-nineties) was something most knew about and adhered to, for the most part.

This aggressive trolling and hiding behind nicknames has led to some of the most vile and hate filled things you will ever read being written, being found in comment feeds, forum posts, and across the web. The instant nature of the internet has meant people read something that provokes a reaction, they start to types, spew forth their anger, and then post without thought or care of its impact. Some even seek out places where people discuss sensitive issues and deliberately provoke reaction either out of a twisted sense of fun or because they believe they know better and everyone else is wrong.

These “discussions” quickly fall apart and descend as the dark side of anonymity starts to work its way even into more balanced responders and like a self fuelling fire it explodes and descends deeper into hate, vile, and idiotic logic and dogma, to the point that it can effectively (and sometime literally) descend into playground insults from even in the most lofty and highbrow of forums.

So, that leads us neatly (well sort of neatly) onto what about the removal of anonymity which can cause such powerful and drastic negatives?

Removal of anonymity… its pros and cons

So, with such dangers of anonymity some places are removing it and making sure you have to use your real name. This of course has its pros and cons, which I will try and equally handle, although in the interest of openness (no pun intended) I will state now that I do tend to be against a removal of anonymity, in general. I will also probably miss some points on both sides, but hey thats what comments are for (just play nice )

The positive side of removing anonymity.

The biggest positive is that it would remove the negative side of anonymity, in that it would reduce trolling (and probably spam), and it would make people think about what they post. If you can be easier held to account for what you say then many (but not all lets be honest) will be less likely to shoot off their mouth so to speak knowing that a prospective employer, for example (as its the one everyone uses), could see what they wrote.

Also that because of this people would spend a bit more time thinking about responding, and may not even respond in the end as they will have calmed down or thought about what was said more clearly. In addition many have said that that it could lead to more genuine interactions and potentially help create more, and more developed, online friendships.

The negative side of removing anonymity.

Some of the negative sides touted are quite insignificant if we are honest, but there are some more valid concerns.

There is of course the dissolving of boundaries, such as those between personal and corporate. Its the most common used example of a prospective employer again, as they could easily find out your personal habits/forums/haunts and read what you have to say. Now while its an ideal to live as if we had nothing to hide, in truth because prejudice exists we cannot guarantee that because someone sees we are an active member of the “Environmentalists for Simpler Vegetable Packaging” forum that they will be ok with this and not allow it to influence their decision on you if they happen to be climate change denier.

This also links to to the danger of cyber (and even real life) stalking, which is also linked to those who for various reasons need to keep their privacy. There are many people on the internet that need to remain anonymous for various reasons (some more valid than others), if a forum where you want to be active and involved demand your real name (and you cant fake it) you could find something open and free suddenly becomes closed off because of a circumstance beyond your control. In a less serious example, take the cult of celebrity, be it the more A-list or even internet celebrities (such as e-sports, youtube, deviantart, etc) it could increase the chance certain, and I cant think of better phrase but, less well balanced individuals could harass and stalk them online.

Now I admit this last negative is a less likely scenario, but it is a possible one, it is known that bullying and harassment happens online and has had, to some degree or another, a real life impact. A removal of anonymity could result in some people being found outside the forums in question and harassed in other online spaces (or worse). There are people online that are that dedicated and unbalanced enough to do this. There is also a big concern for women who have a big enough probable being accepted by many, especially in gaming circles.

The biggest issue for me, is also a potential saving grace, how can a forum guarantee a removal of anonymity, by for example using real names? If so how do they check, credit card? Or trust? If credit card that could work, but not everyone has one, and if paypal then its a lot easier to create a fake name. If its on trust then what is to stop people using fake names and there by just re-establishing a new type of anonymity.

This issue alone raises my biggest red flag for if you cannot guarantee that all your posters are genuine and are who they say they are, what is the difference between nicknames and this form of identity?

Other solutions

So what do I think are the best alternatives?

Well, I have an idea, its not original and its not perfect. Firstly everyone signs up to a set up rule of etiquette, breaking them gives a warning, multiple warnings gives temporary ban, multiple bans equals permanent ban, with of course some violations resulting in various instant bans. This of course more effective and active moderators in a forum/website/etc who are held to account by the member of the site as well as the owner of the site/forum/company/whatever.

Also public nicknames, but with private verified real names. Everyone must have a verified real name (not sure how but hey its just an idea) but it is keep private and only accessible by staff/moderators for use in banning and IP tracking of banned users.

To be honest I think the biggest solution is to keep the anonymity but just educate people to be more polite, civil, and more accepting of each other… although to be honest that probably a bigger stretch of the imagination that almost anything.

Concluding thoughts

I am not in favour of a complete removal of anonymity, I can see its positives and even agree with them but because I don’t think it will work as well as it could, not currently anyway, and not in the places that its currently being rolled out. Places that are infamous for overly dedicated, overly passionate individuals who exploded at the slightest thing (of course this change has REALLY caused an explosion).

But how to wrap this up, anonymity or not, lets be blunt, if its on the open internet, then be under no illusion it is not private wither you use nicknames or not, and you should not be surprised when its out there (take note all you people taking photos of you doing stupid things drunk). The internet is, in general, public, and is becoming increasing so.

Be smart, and be safe when posting.

Anyway, not sure if I covered everything as well as I could, but lets hear your views… just be polite

EDIT:

Rock Paper Shotgun, talks about the Blizzard move and the anonymity subject… LINK
A really quite interesting post (8 points) by “Nattie” as it effects WoW… LINK
And the BBC chips in – LINK

EDIT2:
Blizzard backs down and changes it mind over using real names in forums – LINK