The Pros and Cons of Online Anonymity

by Staff & Contributors on May 6, 2020

in Gaming

Today if you don’t know a person personally, you can’t trust him/her online. Anonymity and fake personas are in style nowadays. It seems that everyone around you has a mask that separates the real person from the fake one. Each one of us today is different when we are online. However, this does not mean that anonymity has no positive side to it. This article will help you know about the positive as well as the negative side of online anonymity. So, let’s get started!!

 

Pros

Freedom of speech

Online anonymity helps people to express their views freely and easily. They can speak about any and every topic freely without getting judged by the people around them. When you are anonymous on the internet, you can become an activist for any cause or issue without getting judged by your family and friends. For example, in some societies, LGBTQ communities are not getting the respect they deserve. But, if you feel for them, you can speak on their behalf without getting judged by the community you belong to.

 

Few repercussions

Although today, cybercrime laws are strong, it is still easier for people to speak whatever they like. They can speak about any politician, politicians, or party in power without any repercussions. Which, on the other hand, is not possible if you have your real identity revealed in front of the audience?

 

Whistleblower act

If you see something wrong going around you or your society, you can speak easily against them, without being ousted by the members of the society. For example, if you don’t like the way your office policies work, or if you are against some human rights violation, you can speak against them at platforms like Twitter and Facebook, without revealing your original self.

 

Cons

There are numerous negative impacts of online anonymity. Some of them include: 

 

Online abuse 

Today, every one of us is experiencing one or the other form of online abuse. Many women face abuse from people about their dress, makeup, and whatnot. People from all social strata are prone to abuse at online platforms. When someone is able to take up an avatar that is totally fake, they can speak anything and everything about you. People who are in a fake avatar can speak more harshly as compared to in the real world.

 

Easy to lie

People today are living a life that is full of lies. You can’t trust a person about their qualification, nature, and personality when they are hidden behind a fake identity. You can be anyone you want without thinking about any consequences. One of the biggest disadvantages of online anonymity is that businesses get reviews from people who have no real identity, and thus, it impacts the profitability of the business in the long term. In addition to this, many people make fake profiles on dating and matrimonial sites that can be a source of long-term emotional and psychological negativity to the person who has a legit account. 

 

Can’t trust the information 

You can’t trust the information that is provided by a person who has no real identity. Any troll who speaks ill about a celebrity or respectable person can’t be trusted as they stay in the yoke of anonymity. But today, many people come up with different theories and conclusions that affect the entire life of a person. If trusting a person with a fake identity becomes a norm in our society, it will be too dangerous for society as well as the authenticity of the information provided.

 

Affects the life of an individual

People who face online trolls and anonymous people daily are prone to be negatively impacted. They live a life of danger. They get emotional about the discussion, and it can impact their personal and professional life in a negative way. No matter which kind of anonymous persons are online, you never know how their words will be perceived by the individual who is getting trolled. Several cases have come up where people commit suicide because they were severely trolled by people who were hidden behind a fake identity.

 

There are good as well as bad points about everything in the world, and online anonymity is one such topic that has positive as well as negative sides to it. The rise of the internet and social media has changed the way we communicate with people. Sadly, because of the anonymity option available, we don’t know the real person who is behind the comments and views. For people who are hesitant, shy, and introverted, anonymity is a boon as it enables them to express their opinion freely in front of the world. If you think that anonymity is the best solution to privacy, it’s not. There are different technical loopholes that are snatching away your privacy. With this globalized world, nothing is real, and not everything is fake. Thus, it is important to have a proper balance between real and fake.

 

 

 

 

 

Previous post:

Next post: