Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?
The writer Salman Rushdie emerged victorious in a spat with Facebook over his identity, in which the social network company required him to use his legal given first name, Ahmed. The conflict has given more attention to the whole question of identity online. Should people be allowed to be anonymous, or obscure their identities, online? Or should they be required to identify themselves? Something in between?
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Hello Gael ,this is a tough one……..I’m not sure how you could be forced to reveal your true identity……….and if you did imagine what the consequences could be…….there are for’s and against…………would be a huge help in tracking down the abusers and peados………..but also takes away ones right to privacy…..
Tricky, isn’t it? What’s the solution, I am not sure. I do know how this ability to cloak ones identity had been used with some dreadful consequences. But at the sametime, revelations can be turned against you and expose you to a world of worry.
Yes Gael like in a case as you mention it is an absolutely necessity because a step like this safes the life.
A man like Salman Rushdie can always work pseudonymously.
One of the reasons I chose this site many years back was that you use call signs, not real names (unless you want to of course). Anonymity has always been my prime concern online.
Should we be able to do that anywhere? I say YES. OK you have to register on a site with your correct details, but I maintain that if your name is Fred and you want to appear as Harry, why not?
Having been online since 2000, I am acutely aware of the need for security and privacy. Even then, the technology exists to break through. I’ve had it happen to me and it’s not pretty.
With the way this world is now, you can never be too cautious I maintain.
You are right Gael. Even a no prominent is in the position of hiding personal data on the net.
For prominent people, Politician’s and other have various possibilities of
protecting their real identity.
They serve and mail on secrete server and no traces will remain. To do this they obviously need the latest technique available.
I agree with the call signs on sites. They can have your personal details when you join.
All Ann starts and ends with its own surfing behaviour. But peoples inquisitiveness is the greatest enemy and the speculation drive I-net sharks are waiting for.
Trolls have software now that lets them get passwords by generating thousands of combinations in minutes. This along with a myriad of other techniques leaves us all open to exposure.
Governmental sites are hacked by the real pros.
So the very least we can do is not put it out there ourselves in the public domain.
I am fairly ignorant of computer security but as I understand it the websites make their rules on what you must do to get on their site. If you want on a site, you make a choice. so if Salmon Rushdie has to use his real name, he had a choice like anyone else.
I think the difference with FB is the insistence on actual names VS the usual anonymity of screen names which we all are used to and provides us with a sense of distance.
Gael, a good question and wish I could provide an equally good answer but I can’t. The best I can offer is the vast majority of people who chat on line are decent. The few evil ones who think it is fun to abuse people and use the anonymity afforded to them should not be allowed to force us into a situation where we are required to lose our privacy. Pat
But unfortunately, they do, Pat. Too many instances of bullying, slander, etc. occur when info is easily accessible.
It seems to be a tradeoff of privacy vs individuality.
Gael,
I don’t know the answer it’s difficult we all want to retain a degree of privacy. That’s what enables us to chat so freely.
We have got to face it there are are people out there who are not nice just as in real life. Maybe the answer is when those who are are evil who want to do their deeds then we who don’t like it return the favour en masse and drive these people away into their sordid little lives.
Pat
Well, how do you do that online Pat? Trolls are like gum on the shoe and can re emerge with different IDs all the time.
You do have to try to protect your privacy as best you can and that does not involve giving out your name and details online.
Hi Gael, yes when i joined f/b i was amazed that we had to use our given names… no privacy there … consequently we get bombarded with all we have been surfing on the web in our E.Mail system , I would like to see f/b the same as Chat sites and use nom de plumes… don;t understand the reasoning for using our given names on a web site unless it is given voluntarily for commercial reasons … xx
FB is just too big for it’s britches. They encourage expansion of membership by any means.