We all know that people often say harmful things online; but lately, the ability to post anonymously on social media sites, increases incivility and discord.
According to the BBC, “studies show people are more likely to behave in a dishonest or morally questionable way when they can hide behind [technology]…The internet especially gives people the feeling of anonymity, as if they can get away with it without anybody knowing who did it.
These studies showed staggering differences in the quality of comments on news websites when readers could post anonymously. When comments were not anonymous, they were classified as “uncivil” around 29% of the time. When comments were anonymous, that jumped to over 53%!
Clearly, when a site allows for anonymous posting, there’s an increased risk of cyberbullying, harassment, trolling, and participation in online hate.
Something that smaller communities in particular, don’t need.
Furthermore, an environment of anonymity makes genuine interaction difficult as it fosters distrust, rather than constructive dialogue and a sense of connection.
Anonymity also takes away from the reliability of the speaker. When there’s an anonymous post, we don’t know the identity of the speakers, nor their motivation for what they are saying.
In very specific and sensitive circumstances, anonymity can be helpful, especially for victims of a crime or illness, or are being bullied, to name a few; however, anonymity is highly misused to make comments, criticize or argue with others.
Therefore, if admins are allowing anonymous participants on a social media site, anonymity should be the exception, not the rule.
Let’s not forget that Freedom of Speech always comes with a sense of accountability for one’s words.
The Cultural Easton 