Anonymity and Online Discussions

[geoffrey]

That's pretty scary scriblett, I'll make sure to not let any identifying info or info about my employer slip out!

[BubberMiley]

In terms of the debate on decriminalization of marijuana, some of us have admitted personal usage while providing context to the debate. This is one of those issues you can only debate anonymously unless you're willing to put up with getting strip-searched the next time you cross the border.

[Charles Anthony]

Would you still participate in an online discussion if you were required to post under your real name?

No. I would be afraid of being wisked away at night by G-men and locked up in the funny farm.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

It is a good thing because it encourages more candid and honest opinion.

[M.Dancer]

My name gives someone I may not know clues to my family. The anonymity of the internet goes both ways. While I may be in the open, potential stalkers will not be.

[Figleaf]

Here is a question for all your hard-core forum participants.

Would you still participate in an online discussion if you were required to post under your real name?

Nope.

Too many nutbars out there ready to take the argument to your front door rather that keep it on the forum where it belongs.

Also, I think a forum is better without posters knowing who has a bigshot job or not, or lots of cash or not, or is a police officer or not, etc. Let the merits of our opinions speak for themselves, not what we do for a living or whatnot.

[Figleaf]

No anonymity here...my profile reveals who I am.

Are you the boy lawyer or the girl lawyer?

[Remiel]

There is no way I would post under my real name on a public board, for many of the reasons already given before.

That being said, I do not treat forum accounts as expendable personas. I am Remiel, but Remiel is not my name. Anything directed at Remiel is still directed at me, and anything directed by Remiel is directed by me, just without the possible consequences of posting under my real name.

In the case of FTA, I think being a lawyer may take some of the edge off of the dangers. Being trained in what to say, and how to say it and all that. I could be way off the mark though with that opinion.

[RB]

One year later.....

I don't think it is wise to reveal identities in this sort of forum especially if you are a younger person starting up a career or heading into some direction. It is better to be discreet, protect your interest, and only for moments of pleasure be weaken to discuss issues on the board.

I only mentioned work because you spend most of your adult life at the workplace and might unlikely converse about topics on politics or religion. It can become tricky if one were to goggle your name and bring up conversations that have no reflection on doing well on a job but your strong opinions matters. I mean Goggle comes around to pick up data on your habits and posts and actually stores it.

In general, an observation I think there is too much information, freedoms, and space available for folks to idle on the net, "get into trouble", to easily torment themselves for no reason at all - putting an identity to the torment is really a sentence of a well deserved punishment. I mean you wisely choose to post your thoughts and opinions however candid they were.

Also, what did all the folks in the coffee shop hot spots peering into computers all day did before they walked around in fashion with a laptop?

Next, the young ones are targeted and given free space to write more nonsense, post pictures of their families private lives

I would like to see the internet regulated and folks pay for their space, well, at least the young ones would be dissuaded to post intimate details of what they eat for supper

[BC_chick]

What do you mean? My name is Bonnie Chantal Chikanita.

[ceemes]

I've googled my real name for a lark once, and came up with over 500 others with the same name in its natural shortened form, that number dropped dramatically when I tossed in my middle name.

Personally I would not have a problem posting using my real name if such precautions such as having my IP address and service provider hidden. Of course there is always the risk that you could offend someone who happens to know in which area you live in and takes it upon themselves to hunt your down, but I think that risk is rather small.

[ceemes]

What do you mean? My name is Bonnie Chantal Chikanita.

ooooooo, and you told me it was Boom Chukka Chukka...... :-)

[PolyNewbie]

I would, its not the government I am afraid of. Its these neocon fascist sycophants that scare me. I don't want them knowing where I live. I know that Big Brother knows who I am and I am probably on a no fly list. Luckily I don't travel much.

[stignasty]

I would, its not the government I am afraid of. Its these neocon fascist sycophants that scare me. I don't want them knowing where I live. I know that Big Brother knows who I am and I am probably on a no fly list. Luckily I don't travel much.

This isn't an insult, so please don't take it as such.

I have never met anyone as boldly paranoid as you obviously are. Please consider going to see a psychiatrist and getting some help. Again, this isn't meant as a put down. Please get some help before you hurt yourself and others.

[FTA Lawyer]

No anonymity here...my profile reveals who I am.

Are you the boy lawyer or the girl lawyer?

Read the brief bit about each of our practices beside our pictures and you should be able to figure it out...only one of us fits the name FTA lawyer.

If you can't decipher it, let me know and I'll come clean...

FTA

[FTA Lawyer]

There is no way I would post under my real name on a public board, for many of the reasons already given before.

That being said, I do not treat forum accounts as expendable personas. I am Remiel, but Remiel is not my name. Anything directed at Remiel is still directed at me, and anything directed by Remiel is directed by me, just without the possible consequences of posting under my real name.

In the case of FTA, I think being a lawyer may take some of the edge off of the dangers. Being trained in what to say, and how to say it and all that. I could be way off the mark though with that opinion.

I perform a particularly public job (even the odd time hitting the nightly news)...and I have represented everyone from police officers to gang members, drug dealers, murderers etc. so my concerns for safety and security are simply unaffected by my true identity being accessible on this board.

As to the secrecy of people's on-line identities...don't kid yourself. All it really takes is someone to file a lawsuit against you (naming you as John Doe or even using your screen-name) and the court can order your ISP to turn over your identity...it's way easier than you might think.

FTA

[sideshow]

i love sexy female lawyers.

[FTA Lawyer]

i love sexy female lawyers.

OOPS...I apparently didn't see the fact that BOTH of us have the Fair Trading Act listed in our list of practice areas. So, I apologize for the misleading goose-chase I may have sent people on.

In any event, if my realizing my mistake only after sideshow chose the "sexy female lawyer" doesn't reveal it, I am in fact, the less-sexy male half of the partnership.

FTA

[sideshow]

i love sexy female lawyers.

OOPS...I apparently didn't see the fact that BOTH of us have the Fair Trading Act listed in our list of practice areas. So, I apologize for the misleading goose-chase I may have sent people on.

In any event, if my realizing my mistake only after sideshow chose the "sexy female lawyer" doesn't reveal it, I am in fact, the less-sexy male half of the partnership.

FTA

lol! well at least we got to see your female partner.

[Remiel]

As to the secrecy of people's on-line identities...don't kid yourself. All it really takes is someone to file a lawsuit against you (naming you as John Doe or even using your screen-name) and the court can order your ISP to turn over your identity...it's way easier than you might think.

FTA

True, but there is a caveat in that scenario, no?

I have to actual do something wrong for someone to bring a lawsuit against me, otherwise I bring a coutersuit to bear and can deal them far more damage, could I not?

Let me pose this scenario, in the context of this discussion:

Let us suppose that in five years time, I were to run for public office. Having not purposefully revealed my identity in online discussions, my enemies manages to link me to my online persona, either through chance or by illegal measures, like hacking, however, they cannot prove that I am Remiel without revealing possible wrongdoings of their own. So, they hatch a plot to file a lawsuit against me for libel, revealing my identity, and all of my writings. My reputation is perhaps irreparably damaged, but it is found that I am not guilty of any crime or wrongdoing. So, I launch my own lawsuit, and an investigation is held, after which my enemies own wrongdoing comes to light. I may never be able to run for office again, but the perpetrators of my misfortune are either paying through the nose or in prison. Is that not roughly how things would go?

So, as the saying goes, online anonymity is a shield, not a sword.

[BC_chick]

i love sexy female lawyers.

Complete opposite for me. IMO, lawyers (both male and female), are THE most unappealing people out there.

The reason I say this is because lawyers are the most guilty of defining their professions as who they are, not what they do. Teachers, doctors, nurses, and even police all fall into this trap of morphing into their professions, but none take it as far as lawyers.

Just look at this board for example. There are three people whose profession I knew of before ever having spoken to them privately. Two of them are lawyers.

You don't see anyone choosing their cyber nic as "small-business owner" or "civil-engineer" the way you do with say "FTA lawyer."

I find this trait of defining oneself according to one's profession very unattractive. But that's just me.....

[geoffrey]

I'm happy to say I don't fit the bill of the stereotypical accountant... I hope.

Interesting that you think engineers don't 'morph into their profession'. Are you an engineer? I think they are among the worst. I know an engineer right away, especially the students.

[BC_chick]

I'm happy to say I don't fit the bill of the stereotypical accountant... I hope.

Interesting that you think engineers don't 'morph into their profession'. Are you an engineer? I think they are among the worst. I know an engineer right away, especially the students.

Ah, the age-old accounting/engineering feud. No, I'm not an engineer, truth be known, I'm of the former category as well.

And indeed, engineers morph into their professions just like any of the other examples I referred to. But as I said earlier, IMO, lawyers take it to a whole new level. I did concede though that I'm talking strictly about my own opinions and observations, and looking at my signature you know how much credence I give to personal opinions....

[geoffrey]

Ah, the age-old accounting/engineering feud.

Has that ever not existed?

And indeed, engineers morph into their professions just like any of the other examples I referred to. But as I said earlier, IMO, lawyers take it to a whole new level. I did concede though that I'm talking strictly about my own opinions and observations, and looking at my signature you know how much credence I give to personal opinions....

I really don't know if I can agree the lawyers are worst. Think personal trainers, or teachers... I think those are particularlly bad. I really don't know if I could tell a lawyer from any other business professional in most cases, not with a first impression anyways.

[sideshow]

i dont identify myself with my profession at all. but i do like female lawyers because i like my women dirty......lol