[Poll] Do you like to be anonymous on the internet?

[monkfailz]

I just wanted to start a thread about anonymity and the internet. Do you think it is good to be anonymous on the internet? Do you like to be anonymous? I know this thread is probably lol. Do you like Reddit? Whenever I think Reddit, I think The Internetz. Reddit is just random online people to me. I don't really care about anyone on Reddit. I don't know. But I shouldn't say that since I never really use Reddit. But I know what it is. I know Subreddits. It's just whenever I think reddit, i think internet, i think anonymity.

[Deleted]

Whenever I think of Reddit I think "internet hugbox".

[Deleted]

Heck yeah, I am in a compromising position with my work if I was ever to be noted for some of the stuff I write on the internet.

[Felaris Stormrage]

Not necessarily. I reside in the projects (literally) and do not work. I have nothing to worry about.

[Freighter]

Depends on where. I'm certainly not willing to share some things on here after someone that's creepy as fuck found my facebook profile and posted on the forum, all because of a thread where people were asked about their name and I was stupid enough to respond.

[WskyDK]

I do like the anonimity in regards to advertising and tracking (as mentioned above), but I understand that this evolving techonolgy likely needs some more user-responsibilty.
A system like South Korea's where everyone is assigned a number, and uses that to login seems like a good compromise. The number would be the only publicly visible portion of the account, but an assosiated database could be used by law enforcement in the event of threats and such.

[Super Kami Dende]

My Anonymity online is the same as in Real-life. If we are friends or work colleagues you will know who I am. though if you are part of the majority of random people you won't.

[Zogarth]

Being anonymous has many advantages and disadvantages, but I am overall in heavy favour of it. Sure, we get some shitty trolls and such, but overall it also allow people to have discussions and explore new ideas, while at the same time not being held accountable for every single little thing you have ever said. A lot of people, me included, like to keep their internet "me" and their real life "me" separate. I still have the same opinions and standpoints as in real life, but in real life, i am more than just my opinion and my avatar, but an actual person with responsibilities. The internet can also be an escape, and an outlet, a function it would lose if it was no longer anonymous.

[Independent voter]

I thought everyone knew who I am. No?

I tend to act the same if I am anonymous or not, so personally, I don't really care either way. I don't get the point of being sadistic to people when anonymous. I know people like doing that, and like being trolls...

When I was younger and tried doing that, I just felt guilty afterwards.... because I knew what I did... which in my estimation was not "right"... *shrug*.

That's the thing about the internet, the weak and small can finally bully people too.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I could take it or leave it.

[Ghostpanther]

Absolutely. Unless I have known you for a long time and have some degree of trust, I may open up some more than I would normally. Too many nuts out there to be too free with your own self to others.

[Garnier Fructis]

Yes, because we've got fucking nuts people even on this forum that threaten physical harm on other posters.

[Shadowferal]

If people weren't anonymous and we all knew who each other was...I think I wouldn't be at all surprised how civil most would suddenly become.

[Antiganon]

I like to be anonymous here. My handle here is unique to this forum.

I have an online presence, which I don't consider anonymous as I use the same handle across a variety of platforms, but that presence is not connected in any way visible to the public to my real name.

I don't do anything online under my real name aside from receiving emails and paying bills.

[Celista]

Yes but I post like someone could find out who I am. More people should live like people are going to catch on to the shit that you do when you think no one is watching/when you think that you won't get caught. Because 9 times out of 10 people find out what you've been up to, in some form or another.

[callipygoustp]

Too many people use anonymity as an excuse for acting like assholes/idiots/etc.

[Celista]

Too many people use anonymity as an excuse for acting like assholes/idiots/etc.

That's just who they really are.

[kail]

Too many people use anonymity as an excuse for acting like assholes/idiots/etc.

Sometimes acting, most of the times it's just them.

[Antiganon]

Yes but I post like someone could find out who I am. More people should live like people are going to catch on to the shit that you do when you think no one is watching/when you think that you won't get caught. Because 9 times out of 10 people find out what you've been up to, in some form or another.

My issue with that is that standards are wildly different from place to place. What you could say in a boardroom and what you could say in a bar over drinks are wildly different.

I look at MMO-C as like a huge barbecue in somebody's backyard. We are all drinking heavily, everyone is a bit freer with their language than they ordinarily would be in polite company, but there is still a line you don't cross. Compare to some other platforms, where the standard for good behavior is much more strict - many forums censor curse words and/or ban you for using them.

Recent actions by Twitch and Blizzard with regards to policing other platforms has had a chilling effect for me. While I don't engage in what would typically be considered harassment, I won't deny that my political posts on here are pretty inflammatory sometimes. I would hate to be infracted on a more strict platform based on my statements here, hence the split in my online persona.

[Vanhyali]

I like anonymity as long as it's not abused.