Anonymous Online

I want to record the experiences of online users, and whether they are positively or negatively affected by those interactions. Let me know how the Internet has treated you in relation to anonymity. Below you will find a compilation of all the posts I have made and analyzed over the course of my project. Above you with find that information categorized, as well as my initial question and my thoughts about what I have found in Evidence So Far.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

I’ve referenced 4chan throughout my analysis, but have only once shown the adverse potential of the website. I mentioned that they organize attacks on Tumblr and other such “politically correct” spaces. Beyond these actions, they have created fake trends and convinced people to commit downright dangerous acts, all anonymously. 

In one instance, they convinced online users to put a plastic bag over their heads and suffocate themselves all for the sake of a charity that was not connected in any way. Not only is this cruel, it is incredibly unsafe and could harm people for a joke. 

Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/plastic-bag-challenge-4chan-trolls-5839514

At another point, they were the perpetrators of the incident called Celebgate, in which anonymous users hacked into celebrity iCloud accounts and stole nude photos, then posted them on forums for everyone to see and download. The users are now being apprehended by the law, and are going to be charged once they find sufficient evidence.

Source: https://fortune.com/2015/06/10/fbi-celebgate/

They tried to prevent anyone from accessing the feminist website Femsplain on International Women’s Day, only hours after reporting their partnership with the Clinton Foundation for the “Not There” Campaign.

Source: http://observer.com/2015/03/4chan-celebrates-international-womens-day-by-taking-down-femsplain/

Even creator Chris Poole had to eventually leave the website, simply to make his life easier. He was subjected to threats and hate from the very people who used 4chan, because he wanted to comply with the law in terms of what to post.The users saw any sort of rules about their behavior made him a “sellout”. Something he started eventually went out of his control, and he thought it was better if he wasn’t in charge. 

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/4chans-overlord-christopher-poole-reveals-why-he-walked-away-20150313

This article lists various other incidents they were a part of:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/09/25/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-to-understand-4chan-the-internets-own-bogeyman/

So should we prevent this kind of online activity? It’s debatable, and entirely dependent on who you ask. Perhaps the outlet for some people is therapeutic. Maybe it stops these users from saying or doing even worse. But I think it’s apparent that the illegal and inhumane aspects are terrible and should be prevented, because all it does is encourage a culture of negativity and depravity. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

These three images capture comments about drink recipes on three different sites: Yahoo, AllRecipe, and Care2. The social environment was welcoming and kind, completely different from the environments of political and cultural topics. This seems to imply that non-inflammatory topics avoid the negative reactions, because the discussions don’t incite as much infighting. 

Those who wish to express negative opinions don’t find these sites as easily, or find them as interesting, as they aren’t exactly debatable. Subjects about recipes and drinks do not provide the kinds of environments where users can start arguments, and are thus more honest and positive spaces. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

I once made a secret blog that I told none of my friends about so I could post my depest darkest thoughts unbiasedly to the world. I started out with no followers, which was honestly nice since I didn't have to care what other people thought. The more followers I got on my diary blog, the more self contious I felt about posting my true feelings. But throughout the diary posts, I tried to keep myself as anonymous as possible (even down to gender and age.) It was pretty fun to stay secretive.

That sounds like a pretty fun way to express your feelings! It’s interesting, it seems almost the opposite to the situations in which users want to connect with peers anonymously. Instead you preferred to keep this blog secret, and not connect with anyone. Even the negative responses of anonymous commenters and bloggers seek to make an impact on others. This is an interesting spin on anonymity, and how it can or cannot affect the online community. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

This video was submitted to me by another Tumblr user who thought it applied to my subject. In it, two people talk about statistics about those who use anonymity online and why they choose to be anonymous. It also mentions the issue of spam and how that has invaded comment spaces.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

In this video, the supposed father of the internet defends online anonymity and claims that the good effects outweigh the bad on the basis that the ability to create new identities is more important than any negative results. 

I disagree with him because the harmful results are far greater than he belies, perhaps because he works at Google and wishes to portray any internet use in a positive light. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

Comments from Yahoo and Huffington Post about presidential candidates Bernie Sanders (bottom) and Ted Cruz (top). While many would picture the political debates as being the more aggressive environments, but to me these comments show a more benign approach to positive and negative posts. While there are some inappropriate comments, I do not believe it is to the same degree of the celebrity articles. 

Why? Is it because our nation is more passionate about social issues, or is it because those who wish to get a rise out of the population know that subjects like gender and sexuality can usually create more infighting than those about who is running for president? The simple notion of a presidency doesn’t guarantee change, whereas the positive reaction to a transgendered individual implies a social shift in our nation. 

It could be that change encourages anonymous individuals to represent their possibly negative opinions. But if I were to investigate more dividing topics, I’m sure I would find more offensive language in the comments section.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

These are the top comments for articles about Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, on the Vanity Fair cover. These comments follow the trend established by the previous comment post, in that they support the notion that the more anonymous the profiles provide the negative comments on an article.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

This is a screenshot of a 4chan discussion about Caitlyn Jenner, the same website from the Ted Talk video I posted. Not only is the picture not Caitlyn but in fact Jessica Lange, but the entire forum is completely anonymous, and has some defending points, but dominantly negative responses. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

My experiences while being anonymous online have been pretty good. I haven't really noticed anything bad or any bad backlash but then I haven't really been anonymous that much while online. If I'm going to say anything, I'll say it while my screen name.

That makes sense. When engaging in websites that rely primarily on real life identities, people are possibly less likely to make negative comments when observed by those that would know them in real life. So sites like Facebook might yield more positive experiences than sites like say, 4chan.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

For a while I was part of a group of people who would blog about the same tv show, but we never knew each other's names. After a while we all stopped watching the show or moved away from the blogs, but every once in a while we check in with each other. We definitely got to be pretty close friends and bond over some nerdy stuff that no one we knew in person would have watched with us. It was really nice to have a group of friends who were there for support, even though I never met them in person

Experiences like this seem pretty typical of Tumblr and similar sites. When forming connections online, it seems that anonymity can help users because they are no longer confined to the identities in their real life, and can instead bond with others over interests that might not be accessible in their everyday interactions. 

I love that aspect of the internet! The ability to have relationships without the personal limitations in the offline world. That should be the focus of online forums, creating positive connections!

[anonymitygoodorbad]

In this video, the creator of the website 4chan discusses the power of anonymity on the internet. In it, he references the ability for the advocacy group Anonymous to take anonymity away from those who are committing crimes and their subsequent arrests due to hacks from the group. It emphasizes the good that those with anonymity can do, but also displays a darker side of the internet, namely the use of anonymity as a weapon by taking away online identities against the will of users. I believe that this shows both positive and negative effects of anonymity because it can hurt those who wish to remain anonymous for good reason and have their formed identities taken from them against their will. 

It is also worth noting that 4chan is the source of much of the harmful behavior I reference in my project, by forcibly revealing identities, attacking persons based on their gender or sexuality, and targeting users on websites like Tumblr with images of rape and murder to induce panic attacks, all without consequence.  

[anonymitygoodorbad]

These are the top comments for articles about Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, on the Vanity Fair cover. These comments follow the trend established by the previous comment post, in that they support the notion that the more anonymous the profiles provide the negative comments on an article.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

The top four comments on three different sites about the same subject: Demi Moore and her daughter Rumer Willis. Websites used: E!/Yahoo!, Instagram, and People.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

What I can gather from these three sites is that not only do they each attract different users, but that the more anonymous users are the typically negative responses. From these pictures it is clear that the more derogatory comments are coming from profiles that don’t have pictures, and are therefore less identifiable. That way they can avoid consequences, as they cannot be threatened in their real life. 

In the picture for Instagram features pictures from four assumed teens, who show their faces and have relatively recognizable profiles. From this, I gather that at least on sites featuring this story, the people choosing to remain anonymous presented more negative comments.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

One negative thing about anonymity: When I was younger, maybe like 15? I posted a couple of videos from a concert that I had gone to on YouTube and people tore them apart, criticizing the singing voices, even going so far as to say that the voice that they perceived as me was "so bad you should shut up and never sing again" and "makes me wanna scratch my ears out". Pretty soon after that I quit choir, even though I'm not sure they were actually talking about my voice.

That’s horrible!!! The fact that people believe that is acceptable to say is awful. It is one thing to offer a critique or an opposing opinion, but to take it to the extreme simply because they are not a fan or are wanting to hurt the poster is pointless. The fact that they are able to remove their face from the discussion lends itself to the theory that anonymity can be an outlet for despicable behavior that would otherwise be detested in real life interactions. 

I hope you know that they were in the wrong, and that you are perfectly fine the way you are. Chances are they are not going to Juilliard anytime soon. 

[anonymitygoodorbad]

the anonymity of being online helped me come to terms with being trans when i didn't think i could be open about it irl

I’m glad the internet could help you come to that conclusion. I would assume that because you were able to discover whatever identity you chose, that it was a positive outlet for you to explore yourself. In the offline world, that would be much more difficult because of interactions and constant misgendering. 

In a situation like this, anonymity can only help those who need an outlet for their experiences and identities. Hopefully trends like this will continue!

[anonymitygoodorbad]

The top four comments on three different sites about the same subject: Demi Moore and her daughter Rumer Willis. Websites used: E!/Yahoo!, Instagram, and People.

[anonymitygoodorbad]

I want to know how you have been postively or negatively affected by anonymity online.Has your life improved because of your ability to hide your identity ? Have you had negative interactions with those who were able to hide their identity? Let me know! Asks both anonymous and not are welcome. :)