

The Online Disinhibition Effect (2004) - quasque
http://users.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/disinhibit.html

======
vy8vWJlco
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me... That
is, unless Facebook (Disqus, your government, etc, ...) makes everyone give
their real name in order to participate in discussions in the first place,
then you're open to every racist, sexist, and drug cartel with access to a
computer.

From today's links: [http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/01/23/how-some-men-
harass-wo...](http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/01/23/how-some-men-harass-women-
online-and-what-other-men-can-do-to-stop-it/) (
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5107886> ) From the article: _"One man
left a letter at her door saying he’d 'find you and your mom and rape you
both.'"_

Anonymity has some pretty small downsides (people acting like assholes, which
you can ignore), but pretty huge positives (physical safety and freedom of
expression in spite of assholes, which despite our mothers' wishes, we all
are; and getting to hear a person's true feelings). The only reason I post
here is because I'm psuedo-anonymous.

(I recognize that the article isn't itself an argument against anonymity per
se, but I can easily imagine someone using it that way.)

------
gwillen
Or, in more humorous form:

<http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19>

~~~
doktrin
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that cartoon ends up as part of a museum
exhibit someday. It sums up so much about anonymity in the early internet age.

