"Anonymity on the internet is the cloak of the coward"

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

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An interesting opinion piece in today's [broken link removed]

But anonymity is a particular phenomenon in the online space, and one which new media evangelists have a blind spot about. What’s even more surprising is how, each time this subject is raised in an online discussion, “real people” view their anonymous counterparts as equals, when the reverse plainly does not apply.


By their very nature, the anonymous free-ride on the goodwill of others – because it’s the others who make a debate real or authentic.


Much of the discussion around anonymity on the web focuses on psychological studies which show how people behave less ethically when their identities are hidden. But the value of citing this research is questionable. It’s unlikely any troll will see the error of his ways if he learns of the harm being done to his soul.
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Hi Brendan,

Interesting article that. I think, by and large, AAM is a decent website in this regard. Heated debates are plentiful, but personal attacks are, thankfully, rare.

The sentence you posted from the article though doesn't make sense to me - should it not read

"It’s unlikely any troll will see the error of his ways unless he learns of the harm being done to his soul"?
 
I think its more that the Troll will not care, even if he discovers that someone else thinks there's harm being done to his soul.

Like how, I suppose, criminals pay no heed to the implications of going to hell (we've all heard of it whether we believe or not) for their deeds.
 
"Anonymity on the internet is the cloak of the coward"
I agree, that's why I use my real name :D
 
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