Invisible Inequality: A Look at Utility and Rights Problems Associated with Anonymous Online Speech Open Access
Crist, Steven Robert (2013)
Published
Abstract
The internet has become a powerful influence on our daily lives, and that power has brought with it a significant number of associated social problems. Though anonymity is a highly valued characteristic of our online environments that is frequently believed to work toward the advantage of members of traditionally disadvantaged classes, there are many cases where it appears as if this common belief might actually be false. Instead, this paper argues, that though there exist instances where anonymity can be beneficial, in many cases it serves only to facilitate harassment, intimidation, and other anti-social behaviors.
Looking at questions about the comparative utility of anonymous online speech when set next to certain alternatives, and questions about the rights of individuals who suffer under environments of broad anonymity, this paper seeks to encourage public discussion about anonymity's role online in the coming years, and more intelligent and thoughtful use of anonymity in the online environments where it can be demonstrated to be most genuinely valuable.
There is evidence that online anonymity as it is presently utilized contributes both to environments which are counter-productive to their own policy missions, and environments which infringe on certain political rights held by members of socially disadvantaged groups. Additionally, in cases where rights may have been infringed, anonymity renders most--if not all--possible avenues of restitution impossible. Because today's internet is so deeply integrated into our lives, rights violations online can affect individuals as powerfully as rights violations in traditionally protected contexts such as the classroom and the workplace. Thus, we have an ethical obligation to revisit the ubiquity of anonymity in our online spaces and should begin having broader public discussion about our need to address these problems.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Online Life and the Problem of Anonymity........................................................... 1 Chapter 2 - Online Anonymity: Problematic Cases................................................................ 23 Chapter 3 - Utility and Online Anonymity............................................................................ 50 Chapter 4 - Rights and Online Anonymity............................................................................ 86Chapter 5 - Forward Progress........................................................................................... 105
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