6.6. Authenticity and Anonymity#

We mentioned in the last chapter the cases of 4chan and 8chan, where anonymous users trolled each other and posted offensive content, and one question that might lead us to is:

Does anonymity discourage authenticity and encourage inauthentic behavior?

The answer to this question might be yes in some circumstances, but also, the opposite might occur in others.

6.6.1. Anonymity encouraging inauthentic behavior#

Anonymity can encourage inauthentic behavior because, with no way of tracing anything back to you1, you can get away with pretending you are someone you are not, or behaving in ways that would get your true self in trouble.

6.6.2. Anonymity encouraging authentic behavior#

Anonymity can also encourage authentic behavior. If there are aspects of yourself that you don’t feel free to share in your normal life (thus making your normal life inauthentic), then anonymity might help you share them without facing negative consequences from people you know.

6.6.3. Is authentic self-expression good?#

We can next ask if authentic self-expression is a good thing or not. But that depends, what is the authentic thing about yourself that you would be expressing?

  • Are you authentically expressing hate or cruelty? If so, perhaps authentic self-expression is morally bad.

  • Are you part of an oppressed or marginalized group that has been restricted from self-expression? Then perhaps expressing yourself is morally good. (See Trans Twitter and the beauty of online anonymity)

1

In reality, while many times people can remain anonymous, surprisingly often, anonymous users’ identities can be discovered and revealed, whether through hacks or accidentally revealed information.