Comments on: Anonymous Rex, Ctd.

By: Thoughts on anonymous internet commenting, riffing on @wawoodworth

Thoughts on anonymous internet commenting, riffing on @wawoodworth — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:45:56 +0000

[...] was reading the always-excellent Andy Woodworth on anonymous internet commenting (hey, guess who’s way behind on her Google Reader!). This started as a comment there but got [...]

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:10:47 +0000

Absolutely. I’ve said before that anonymous or pseudonymous content can be judged on its face. And based on your example, that’s as good a criteria as any.

By: Chase McMunn

Chase McMunn — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:59:44 +0000

Oh goodness, I didn’t have my WordPress profile filled out. I guess I posted semi-anonymously. Oh the bitter irony.

By: cmcmunn

cmcmunn — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:57:10 +0000

It seems to me that Ms. Zhuo’s editorial is right in line with Facebook’s ideal of living our lives publicly. She seems to believe that the more open we are about our true identity, the better choices we will make online. It’s strange that we still need to talk about this because it seems newspapers figured out long ago that they would only publish signed letters to the editor, and they wouldn’t use anonymous sources unless first verified.

The real reason I wanted to comment though is to suggest reading Jaron Lanier’s “You Are Not a Gadget.” In it he tackles the idea of anonymity on a philosophical level, indeed arguing that it robs us of our humanity. Perhaps when we are robbed of our humanity it becomes difficult to act humanely. There is a place for anonymity, but I wouldn’t include the comments section in that sphere.

By: Will Manley

Will Manley — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:36:16 +0000

Andy, anonymity is fine for honestly expressing a point of view on an issue. It is especially fine if it protects the writer from reprisals at work. It is not fine if it is used to personally attack someone. Then it is cowardly and mean. Actually it’s pretty simple. Attacking issues…yes! Attacking people….no!

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:32:48 +0000

It wouldn’t be the first time someone made up an email address to comment on this blog anonymously.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:31:38 +0000

Bobbi, I see anonymity and the platforms as being mutually exclusive. It’s the “my sandbox, my rules” sort of deal. For Facebook, a company that sells user information to champion the idea that we shouldn’t encourage anonymous discussion is just asinine. I think anonymous expression is getting a bad rap, but I know how you feel about it so I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you otherwise.

I allow anonymous comments on my blog. I see people with bogus emails. But rarely do I get a troll compared to other anonymous or pseudonymous comments. I just let those comments through anyway because other readers have taken them up on it. And they don’t return (or haven’t so far).

By: Lori Reed

Lori Reed — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:03:46 +0000

You can always make up an email address

By: Danielle

Danielle — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:29:14 +0000

I hate the fact anonymous posts are not completely anonymous. For most blogs, one has to submit her/her email in order to comment. Once some provider acquires my email, it’s is all down hill from there.

By: Bobbi

Bobbi — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:27:49 +0000

Andy you said

“Anonymous authorship is the second amendment issue of free expression”

Don’t confuse the right to anonymity with a right to a free platform or an audience. You are free to create your own site anonymously however I’m not required to allow you to comment on my blog anonymously. *

I blogged about anonymity some time ago and I haven’t changed my opinion or stance – it brings out the worst in people. Sure people were able to point to an example here and there of good but they are few and far between.

For the record I don’t think Facebook is the solution nor is government regulation, but I think its good that people are discussing this.

I’m not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV