ERW Question Time!!! :) Subject: Anonmyity Online

There is a lot of controversy between whether people should be able to be anonymous on social media or should there be a way to start banning anonymity itself. If you was to ask me on my view, I would tell you that I side with anonymity.

Here are some reasons why I support anonymity:

• Anonymity allows the unheard people of the crowd be heard.
• Anonymity allows people who are humble stand up for what they support without worrying about if people who may know him/her not want to be around that person anymore.
• Anonymity allows the people who are shy say what they have to say without the worry of actually knowing people or being compromised.

You can argue that the anonymous bullies and harassers, or in other words "trolls," are overrunning the internet. In reply to this argument, I do agree with this but not entirely, in recent studies only 28% of the American people admits to being an internet troll. A 2014 study shows that internet trolls are mostly men.

I tend to think of anonymity like immigration. No, no... I mean like how everyone is either pro-immigration or anti-immigration. Do we really want to deport people who came for a better life from the life of poverty. They came from probably nothing except a brick wall square and a well for water.

Think about the anonymity, people want to speak their minds that they felt like they couldn't do before. They want to feel apart of the cyber world and feel secure while doing it. So being anonymous helps them. Do we want to "deport" anonymity?

Also think about it? If we was to get rid of anonymity, we have no laws to protect our victims from trolls so what can we do about it if we lose anonymity. The Suicide and death rate would go up because everyone would know who is saying what and it might hurt more than before now that you knew it was someone you cared about.

So answer this question: Is losing anonymity worth the suicides to come?

Mirror Mirror

     I spent great amount of time in the cyber world since I was in elementary school. When I moved to the United States, I devoted my life into video games mainly because I wasn't able to communicate with anyone in real life. Since video game didn't require communication, I used it as an escape from the miserable reality.

     As time passes by, I got better and better at English. I slowly came to the realization about the nastiness of the cyber world. The tool that I used to escape my anxiety slowly became my enemy. Every mistake I made came with the consequence of getting harass. My positivity and happiness slowly decay overtime. Their words were shaped knifes that sliced through my optimism. 

     I lost faith in what I thought was a part of my life. Those negativity put me down but some how, I became one of them. I became what made me cry. I started spreading the curse of the nastiness to others. Those that were my friends, became my targets. One by one, they disappeared with the wind.
     I realized that my words did not help increase my chance of winning. All it bought was lost and suffering. I told myself that this habit must go. It wasn't easy get over it, but once I did, my life was like magic. All my friends were willing to give me another chance. The happiness that I was searching for ended being next to me all along. 

A Reflection

      When we first started this unit, I have never given much thought to cyber bullying or anonymity. My first impression of anonymity was that it was an unnecessary tool that only helped those who seek to bash innocent civilians cover their tracks. After reading the first few articles, I saw it as something that helped companies that control social media earn more revenues. My view of the topic kept changing, twisting after I read each article. Finally, I am able to conclude my thought on this matter.
      While anonymity may be a detriment to the society (Yes, I did mentioned this in my last blog), it is also beneficial to the society. Most uprisings, revolutions, and movements, all started with an anonymous voice. That is because anonymity gives them strength and confidence boost. It allows people to see more clearly of the words that are being spread across. In other words, it allows the listeners to judge the statement based on its rationality rather than the status of the person who makes the statement.
     However, I still have some doubts because anonymity should not be taken lightly. A part of me thinks that anonymity can also cause a serious problem as it helps people, or should I say encourage trolls to bully and harass other people even more because they know that they'll be safe from punishment. And trolling can lead to serious problems that I have already mentioned on the above (suicide, mental problems).
      As I am typing this blog, my opinion on the subject has started to sway again. I can't seem to find a solid position that I can stand on. For some reason, I feel like I don't have enough information and data on this topic (even though, we have read at least ten articles relating to trolling, and anonymity). Maybe after looking more throughly into this matter, I will be able to, or at least hope to find my true voice in this matter.
      How about all of you, guys? Any thoughts on the essay?

Anonymity Sparking Awareness

For my essay, I’m still not completely confident in my argument. I could give reasons as to why I think anonymity is harmful as well as why I think it’s beneficial. While skimming the articles, online and in the packet,  the annotations, the Room for Debate charts, and reading the hyperlinks, I came across the Room For Debate article, “Dialogue is Important, Even When it’s Impolite” by Ryan M. Milner. That article made me realize how important anonymity is online when dealing with social issues. Milner proved his point that silencing the bad online will also silence the good. Silencing the people who impolitely express their opinions will also silence the good people who are rightfully able to express their opinion. Milner used an example having to do with a hashtag that expresses the animosity that women have to deal with and its correlation with gender inequality. Some people came about the hashtag in cruel ways, completely mocking it and degrading it as well as degrading women in what they were saying.  Over social issues such as this one, most people, especially women, won’t allow themselves to feel belittled so they use their voice to fight for what’s theirs and educate those who are ignorant and those who feel superior over social media sites. They feel the need to raise their voice and spread more awareness for the greater good. Now that was just one example based on that hashtag. Yes, there were trolls saying stupid things just to spark up some heat with feminists, but that also results in those feminists, whether they be men or women, to speak up. If anonymity was not an option, would social issues spark awareness as much as it does today? Ryan M. Milner stated, “When antagonistic speech facilitates voice, satire or play, it may have civic value. Vibrant voice is essential online. Platform moderators, diverse individuals working to curate a culture of civility, can powerfully shape the online conversation.” Honestly, even while making this blog post, I had a different reason behind why anonymity is beneficial, but it ended up stirring in this direction. I don’t know if this will be an argument used in my essay, but it’s a thought.

What to write, what to write...

So I noticed a lot of people are still indecisive on what position to choose for their essay. I too am struggling to figure out what to write about and knowing that Im not the only one made me feel a little bit at ease. Last night I stayed up pretty late trying to write this paper and all I got was a page and a half done and I'm 5000% sure that what I wrote barely makes any sense. I mean its an easy topic but after hearing both sides of anonymity, i dont know which position to choose because I agree with both. I think anonymity allows people to express their thoughts and ideas but at the same time can easily become a way for trolls to come in and harass others. This weekend I'll be spending some time doing more research on Anonymity hoping to find which side I can stick to and hopefully make my second draft better than my first..

I liked this unit

After this unit, I've become completely indecisive of topics about trolling, anonymity, and free speech. Well, not completely, but its definitely given me lots of new perspectives. Trolling can be funny and harmless, or it can be gratuitous and offensive. Anonymity can be a tool for trolls to perpetrate or it can be considered an irreplaceable commodity in internet life. Free speech was generously granted to us by our founding fathers, but have we abused to the point where our speech needs to be censored? Somehow we have to write an essay about these complicated topics. Hopefully I can get my thoughts together enough to write.

Reflecting on Anonymity

This week we read and reflected on several articles relating to anonymity. Anonymity is such a powerful tool, especially on the World Wide Web. The internet at this point in time is home to nearly everyone. Given the time of season, it's home to the nice and the naughty. Unfortunately, it seems though as the Naughty list is overwhelmingly larger than the Nice list. On the internet, where anonymity is given, no one knows who you are. Gabriella Coleman, in her article "Anonymity Online Serves Us All", brings up the point that in some forums, people are free to discuss topics she says, "allowing for candid discussions of what might otherwise be stigmatizing subjects".

    Yet, there are many users who abuse anonymity, and use it to attack others. Author Kristy Tillman makes it clear who many of these targets are with her article titled, "Women and Minorities as Targets of Attack Online". It seems as though users use their given anonymity to speak out about how they truly feel without any serious consequence. Few individuals who have committed serious hate crimes to other individuals on the internet, such as harassment, cyberstalking, and threats, can be tracked down and charged as criminals. Sadly, this is not enough, there are just too many people doing the same thing daily. Let alone there are no real rules or regulations to prevent any of this intense online bullying.

   The big question is, Is there anything we can do to stop it? There are tons of solutions, but to get any one solution agreed upon would be chaos. It would also be difficult to implement these rules, regulations, or simple changes in the way we give anonymity. The only real temporary solution is to teach younger generations of children to be kind, and possibly teach them new morals and ethics to the way we behave on the internet. It's feasible to imagine a time where being mean isn't socially accepted on the internet, just as smoking or drinking in public. No one is going to stop you, but you understand it's very distasteful in the eyes of many. Perhaps then will some curb their awful thoughts.

The Message Over the Messenger

Something I really like about what Gabriella Coleman wrote in her article "Anonymity Serves Us All" is that anonymity "At its best, it puts the attention on the message, rather than the messenger." In other words, being anonymous makes people only see what is being said and not who said it because that is all that is there. In some cases this allows the message to have more of an effect on people. This allows writers, activists, and others to say controversial things they can't under their actual identity. I think that this is a very important thing that anonymity allows and a reason why it cannot be banned completely. Many websites have taken steps to combat the trolls that use the mask of anonymity to their advantage and do bad things and other websites that want to get rid of trolls should do the same. However getting rid of anonymity entirely will not get rid of trolls completely but it will make the good of anonymity much harder.

Anonymity Is a Good Thing

So this week was a pretty hectic week i have to admit. We had so much to do in what seemed like such a short amount of time. I feel so much pressure now that we have essays and other work to complete with the end of the semester approaching. None the less, this week's unit on anonymity has been very eye opening. In my opinion, anonymity should be allowed but to a certain extent. I think we all have a right to our privacy, however, when we take advantage of it is when we question the need for so much privacy in the first place. I think the best option is to let people post things on social media anonymously; but, have their profiles traceable in the information they leave such as email accounts or even their location.  Its the only way we can still abide by people's rights while making it easier to track down cyberharassment at it's source. All in all, anonymity is actually a good thing, it's people who take advantage of it that make it seem like a horrible idea.

What side are you on?

In the world of anonymity we tend to separate ourselves and create groups in which some people side with anonymity while others go against it. What side do you find yourself on?

Do you agree that we should have the freedom to go about on the internet and do whatever we want within the boundaries of online regulations and our own moral beliefs? Do you think that we should simply just attempt to eliminate the problem by taking away the right we have to be anonymous online? Some people really do go to far and I don't see what they see in hurting others but I just think that maybe they have problems in their life and that's their way of dealing with it. For other more simple cases why can't we just look the other way and no give them the attention that they are craving for? This in itself can help to potentially lower the amount of trolls because there would be less “fun” in trolling people if there aren't any people caring enough to get trolled. Then again it's not like it wouldn't bother us but I feel that it is the best way to combat the problem without causing more chaos. I really don't know if I'm the only one out there who thinks this but what I do know is that it works for me and it really wouldn't hurt to try it.

Anonymity and Society

Overall, I think one of the underlying issues that our class has kind of yet to discuss, is that a lot of the issues we face from anonymity and online harassers is that it reflects the way our society is. I remember someone asking if the teacher thinks that our world has gotten more mean due to the Internet. I think it has, while also more honest (as I think someone said in class). I think prior to the freedom and anonymity that people, we keep the bad thoughts that all of us have in our heads. The Internet then gave a platform to spew their hidden thoughts which then made the Internet very mean. This normality of meanness on the Internet allows people more and more to rude or honest in person which makes the Internet worse, which creates a cycle.

I think, instead we need to value the importance of information and knowledge and eduction instead of entertainment.  We need to have informative and open-mindedness in the conversations on a regular basis. We need to value the intellects and the artists instead of the entertainment that we strive for.

Thoughts on anonymous people ..

Now that we are getting near the end of this section more people areally opening up. I see a lot of people supporting the continuation of anonymous posting. Of course they don't support the so called "trolls" that harass and stalk people because that is uncivilized. I am going to have to agree with the rest of my classmates I wouldn't want people to know my real name. As a daily Internet user on via Xbox Live I wouldn't be comfortable  knowing my identity is out there because there a lot of hackers. In my opinion it is to much of a risk for people's  safety because the Internet is not a safe place. Once a hacker uploads your information it there forever there no way to stop it. I think it would make things worse than it is because then hacking would increase because now there is a lot of identities surfacing the Internet. I think the best way to stop this problem is just by having parents talk to their kids about it seriously and keeping in an eye on them. There is no other way because if we find a way to close this door, other doors will open. It just a never ending cycle of problems, just leave if it as it . Unless some one has a way to stop it without showing identity feel free to share. I don't think there is a good solution to please both sides, that I can think if. I have really tried to think of solutions  haha but nothing comes to mind for both sides.

Changing Views

So as I was preparing to write the first draft, I had a different view of anonymity. I only saw the negative side of anonymity and that is when trolls hide behind the screen, but I began to think of the other situations the articles talked about when people wanted their identity to be hidden because they did not want to become a victim of a troll if they write something that someone will not like. I also began to see the important of the "message rather than the messenger". In addition, it is also important if people reveal themselves about sensitive subjects or matters that might be embarrassing and that they can be protected because trolls can not find out who they are.

But anonymity still does not stop trolls from being who they are. To solve this problem, websites should moderate their comment section and only allow comments that are related to the topic. They should rid the comment section of trolling comments and leave comments that agree with the topic, question the topic, or give constructive criticism about the topic. It takes extra work but at least it can help guarantee a safer atmosphere for conversations on the internet.

STRESS STRESS STRESS

Honestly I have no idea what I'm doing for this essay.  Like I understand anonymity and the trolling but I don't really know my stance on it.  Yes it is bad only because of the harassment but it could also be bad.  I'm not ready to turn in this essay on Friday at all.  I don't think  I have been this stressed for a class in my entire life.  I've probably cried about 3 times this week because of it.   Shout out to the class of 2015 for saying this class was easy because you all lied.  I'm stressing out just from writing this blog and this is the easiest part of the class.  I don't even know what to do anymore.  I thought senior year was supposed to be easy.  Thanks for that false information too.  Sorry that my blog is so negative bur I just had to voice it out.

2π

I started off this unit with my focus completely on trolling and with disregard to harassment. In regards to cyberbullying, I thought that people were just too sensitive and either had to toughen up, move along, or remove themselves from technology (in essence, society). Then I read the "Room for Debate: The War Against Online Trolls" and learned more about the state of anonymity and its critical ties with websites. I changed my perspective and thought it was vital for website developers and third party sites to provide a sort of database that contained a certain level of personal information or service that would enable law enforcement to track down harassment, defamation, and death threats. I believed for the longest time (five days) that this was the only logical way to address problems with anonymity.

Reading so many articles with differing viewpoints was overwhelming to say the least. I felt like I had the gist of what I believed in, but my beliefs didn't last long enough for me to formally organize and build upon them. Then I jumped on my daily Skype video call with Visoth and Kumpol and once again changed my mind. However, this time it was for good. I went full circle and ended up where I started: GET OVER IT. Privacy, anyone? Overreaching government, anyone? HUMAN NATURE, anyone? Anonymity on the internet, the little that we have, is one of the only forms of privacy and freedom that we have left in this country. Let's not let it go to waste because of our sensitivity. Also, let's direct our focus and blame from anonymity to the culture of ignorance, discrimination, and prejudice.

Now all I have to do is make my beliefs sound less rude and back them up with facts, logical thinking, and research. I thought it would be difficult at first, but now that I know where I stand and have confidence in my beliefs, I am excited to develop my thoughts and present them in a proper format.

P.S. This assignment will not only help me develop my writing skills but my voice and tone as well. I need major improvement in these areas . . . I don't want to turn people away just because I have an unintentional condescending tone.

Patricia Cuarenta

To be Anonymous or Nah

              So I’ve been trying to figure out my stance on this whole anonymity-trolling issue like all day, and so far, I’m still on square one. I was staring at a blank word document for a good while and before I realized that blogging might help me if I treat it like a freewrite of some sort and so here I am. I guess I’m having such a hard time choosing sides because there are so many different factors that have to be considered. On one hand, anonymity causes a lot of harassment online and that’s no bueno, but then on the other hand, it has some benefits as well – like those that Gabriella Coleman brought up in her article, “Anonymity Online Serves Us All.” She mentions that it anonymity online is being used by parents and patients alike who are discussing medicine-related or parenting issues that aren’t exactly socially accepted. She also mentions how anonymous activists also use it “for whistle-blowing or to speak truth to power without fear of retribution.”(4) While those benefits do exist, we also have to consider the ugly side of it: harassment. I feel like there should be a way to fix that issue and that someone will eventually have the answer, but then it would probably infringe on the first amendment and we all know how much Americans like their rights. However, I do believe that trolling is a direct effect of societal problems such as sexism and racism. I mean, if we all really view each other as equals then we wouldn’t be having this problem. If people weren’t so judgey and annoyingly up on other people’s business then we wouldn’t be having such ridiculous problems. Now that I’m really thinking about it though, even if you take away anonymity, it’s not going to stop people from trolling. I see people post mean things on Facebook all the time and that has their name and everything out there soooo I guess there really isn’t much we can do about it. Okay, I think I’m done now.

scatterbrained

I feel like this far into the unit I’ve formulated my opinion on trolling and why I think it’s just unnecessary as far as bullying/harassment goes. I understand that it’s a significant topic to those who have contrarian opinions, but this is how I see it: Why get upset over something you see on the internet that is negatively about you? I don’t know I guess, I don’t feel any connection personally towards digital words on a screen, but that’s just me. I’m about to start my first draft for this unit and I still feel like there’s not enough for me to write despite all of the articles and discussions we’ve had in class. With that being said, my draft isn’t going to be my complete thoughts. To give you an idea on where I stand about this anonymity issue, I really can’t say that anonymity is a bad or good thing because there are pros and cons of having anonymity, also I believe it depends on whether you’re a victim of troll abuse or just a person seeking to remain anon for safety concerns. There are so many factors that come into play here regarding this issue and I guess I’m just trying to seek for that one. Oh and another thing, grammar is going to be essential when typing this paper, which, even though it’s pretty easy, I really suck at it. Once I have my first draft done I think I can better formulate a stronger opinion than I have now.

Writer's block

Wednesday December 9:

    So I don't know about you guys but I am no where near ready for this essay.  I have done the research and charts but  I have no clue what to write about. Here's the thing, I don't have a position on anonymity.  I believe there are some good and bad to each so I have no clue what side to write about .  Maybe I am missing the point or idea of this unit but I have no clue what to do, like I've said I have put in all the work necessary. I feel like no matter how much work I put in when I go to type something my mind is going to be blank and I'm going to end up starting at a white screen for an hour and then get discouraged. 

Thursday December 10: 

     So I am in the middle of this essay and decided to take a break and blog. Well not necessarily blog but to vent.  My essay is going alright because I did a lot of prep work last night but I still feel like there is no point in it.  I feel like I'm am wishy washy and don't  have a firm stance on the matter. On top of that I'm running out of things to say, so in this small break I am suppose to be brain storming. I know this is the first draft and it doesn't have to be perfect but I'm pretty sure it has to be longer than one page. All in all I am not sure what to do now but it is time to get back to work...wish me luck. I hope your essays are working out better than mine. 

Trolls look for attention

Throughout the course of this section, trolling on social media has stood out to me much more. I had even found a twitter page called "How to get Blocked", this page glorifies the rude comments and trolls. The page was made for the amusement of others, finding the harsh jokes and comments comical. Some of the comments were very pointless wisecracks but some others were threatening and harassing. One tweet toward a celebrity was that they should just kill themselves because they are ugly. I don't understand how someone could really find this comment funny or amusing. By getting recognition from others as funny or cool is making them feel more powerful and more confident to leave comments. They are not considering how some of these comments could actually leave an affect on others thoughts and feelings. But also the followers of the page who likes and retweets the comments are playing a major part by adding to the page's fame and adding more need for comments in order to keep the page popular.  The whole point of this page was to get attention. That is the whole point for trolls to get major attention at any cause. That's why in many cases the "jokes" turn into pain harassment toward an innocent victim. By not giving the trolls the attention they are striving to get they will not feel powerful enough to leave a hurtful post.

3 weeks...

So we've spent about three weeks on this unit and I really don't know what to say that I haven't said already.  I'm just happy we are finally starting to write because that's when I know that this unit is coming to an end.

I don't know how to even start my essay.  Coming up with a hook to engage readers is always the hardest part for me when I am writing.  I know where I stand on the issue of anonymity and trolls, but when I write it's hard for me to make it out in the right words.  I always try to make my first draft close to the way I want it to be in the end, but I guess we aren't supposed to do that.  I learned in ERW that we shouldn't try to make our first draft the best and that the first draft should just be jotting down all the ideas that we come up with. The first draft doesn't have to be organized, but should still somewhat make sense. Knowing that it does not have to be an A paper the first draft makes it a lot easier for me to write.  I can just put down whatever I have to say and make it sound more formal later on. So whoever reads my first draft tomorrow in class just know that it isn't going to be my best work because I am going to revise it a lot by the final draft.

The benefits of anonymity

As I read the articles from the New York Times website, I've begun to develop a new perspective on anonymity. Sure it makes it easier for individuals to be abusive and cruel online but it is also a privilege to have. Sometimes it is more comfortable to engage in conversation online than it is in reality because the freedom of speech allows for truthful and in-depth discussions to sprout forth especially with tough topics like abortion, gay rights, and this trolling issue. However, there are some cases in where we need to be social outside of the Internet. You certainly can not ask your crush out on a date by text but should confront that person in order to see their reactions. Media sites should allow anonymity but should have tougher regulations to better protect users from trolls. This is because society is transitioning into what is known as the "Internet Age"; we rely heavily on the Internet for information and entertainment. We should really try to put the word "trolling" into context, as Manivannan suggests, so that we know when we are being attacked. I believe offensive comments are okay in a sense that they allow us to learn and grow and discover another approach toward a certain topic. However, comments that aim to intentionally hurt or cause distress to another individual and is constant, in my opinion, is criminal and should be punishable. If a person were to speak hateful comments or threats in reality, wouldn't we take action for our own safety and let someone know? Anonymity plays an important role in democracy and should not be taken away from innocent users but should be banned for online perpetrators.

Online and Anonymous: The Writing Task

Online and Anonymous

The Writing Task

Gabriella Coleman writes that “we should...consider what we would lose were we to ban, or even discourage, the use of anonymity on the Internet. Debates about trolls routinely conflate anonymity with incivility but a broader look at online activities reveals that public good can come when users can hide their identity.”

Review your collected notes, your chart and annotations to see how they are relevant to the question of anonymity and democratic values.

• Do you think that anonymity is an important right in online communities, or do you think it invites harassment or worse?  In the style of “Room for Debate,” write well-developed and organized editorial of between 600-750 words in which you present your thoughts on the issue of Internet anonymity, and then utilizing the sources, your observations, and your experience, take a position that explains the extent to which you believe anonymous identities should be protected from censorship.

Draft 1	Paper copy, In class Friday, 12/11	A careful look at citation:  Using the words of others in academic writing:  A “They Say/I Say” workshop
Draft 2	Paper copy, In class Tuesday, 12/15	Revision workshop -- a close look at thesis statements, organization, syntax, and diction
Final Draft	Due on Thursday, 12/17 by 5:00 p.m.	Drafts 1 & 2 turned in Final draft:  Uploaded to Turnitin.com

Additional Requirements:

• In-text citation:  In your final paper, you must correctly (1) quote, (2) paraphrase and (3) summarize at least four of the sources provided (Workshop on 12/11/15). These are three different moves in academic writing.  
• Note that the seven articles included in “Room for Debate” include hyperlinks. The use of hyperlinks create a more dynamic text, and provide readers with additional information to deepen or enhance their understanding, Your paper will include two hyperlinks that should be purposeful and useful to your reader.  Please do not merely repeat sources already provided or rely solely on definitions or Wikipedia articles.  
• A printable version of the writing prompt is here.

Trolls?

For the past few weeks we have been discussing online anonymity but I have been receiving mixed feelings about the subject. Anonymity has a sense of entitlement. Some people feel as if though they can say and do whatever they want because they won’t  face any repercussions for their actions but rather they will receive the attention they long for. Although, for some users anonymity is often used for people to say what is on their minds without having to face bias opinions. Social media sites are taking the initiative by attempting to block and delete trolls. Some have even suggested monitoring what people comment on the site. Social media can not monitor everyone's profile so it seems pointless. We live in a society where people's actions affects us all. We will all have to endure it until people learn to act civil with one another.

Oh My God Shut Up About The Trolls

Most of you are focusing on the wrong aspect of this lesson

Leave the trolls alone

Nothing anyone can do can eliminate us

Focus on how the trolling is happening

This is about anonymity online

Let's talk about people we don't know saying things we don't agree with

Let's talk about people we don't know saying things we take offense with

Let's talk about people we don't know hiding, hiding in fear, shame because they don't want the world to know that its them

Of course, if anyone knew it was them, they'd likely be ridiculed and socially tortured

Let's talk about people with opinions meeting people with time to kill

Let's talk about people with opinions meeting people with intent to hurt

Let's talk about people with identities that can't be discerned

And for the love of GOD

Let's NOT talk about how the trolls are stupid and they should find something else to do

That talk is ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS

STOP

Less Negative, More Positive

This week we looked at all the possible pros and cons of anonymity. Before, i would come right out to say that the idea and choice to post things on social media anonymously is harmful and useless. I get that not everyone has the courage to speak up on their beliefs or factual information on important issues, there are some who are too shy and afraid of being judged and antagonized for their opinions. However, it is inevitable to have people disagree and sometimes respond in a negative matter to your opinion, because not everyone has the same ideals as you. Also, stating perspectives on any subject matter through social media in itself is enough privacy, because you're still talking on these things through a screen, it's not face to face. I get that anonymity can help one make a social or political movement that later turn into a voice for change. But, the society in which we live in today isn't perfect, people will and have taken credibility of social/political movements to gain false fame. It's a insult to the people who genuinely care for to seek out the solution to the problem. As we kept going on with this unit though, i realized that i was doing nothing more than looking at all the negatives anonymity has to offer. I get anonymity can do harm, but what features on social media doesn't? Maybe i should stop looking at this certain subject in a pessimistic view and have a more optomistic perspective. 

Anonymity Isn't Alwasy Bad

When we first began talking about anonymity I didn't think it would mean so much. It can be used in a positive way but it is mostly looked at as a negative factor. I know I thought of it as something negative when we continued to read articles. But I grew to learn that being anonymous isn't always a bad thing. Some people want to make sure their stuff is not identified. They don't want people knowing what they are saying. For example, professors are anonymous because they might not want students seeing what they post or a parent who doesn't want to embarrass their family. I believe as long as one is not harassing another person and being a bully on social media then being anonymous is okay. When anonymous people begin to start drama and cause conflict, that's when it isn't okay and the website should do something. I am sure the company of the website can see who made the profiles and as soon as the harassment begins it should be shut down. People should only be able to hide behind a screen when it is for personal or work related situations, not to harass and hurt people. Anonymity is an iffy thing. People are either for it or against it. With me I feel in between because there are two different sides with pros and cons. Hopefully websites can improve on their security to stop trolls.

trolling times

Being on the internet for what seems to be pretty much my entire life, I was never educated nor aware on the serious topic on trolling. You see I’ve always thought that the internet was full of anonymity and full of people who always had something to say and I just thought that was the norm growing up. Since learning more about this in our class, my intellect on this discussion about the debate on the attack against online trolls have broadened to a different level of understanding. I’m beginning to understand that online trolling isn’t okay. I mean it never really is, but I never understood a trolls motive as to why they behave the way they do. Some articles claim that trolls attack due to how they feel about themselves. Many people usually get offended by these attacks but I think it isn’t that serious only because I’ve been exposed to other people’s social media arguments. Trolling is just a cry for attention so the fact that people attack back at online anonymous is just a waste of time.

Trolling

 Whenever I hear the word troll I always think of the bedtime story.   The one where an ugly creature is hiding under a bridge.   This troll is kind of the same thing as an online troll.   Online trolls have ugly personalities that they had behind the screen to put other people down. I know that some people are told to never to react to a troll because that is exactly what they are looking for.  A reaction.   In my opinion I think you should  not allow people to talk to you that way.   It's kind of like you punching me and me not punching you back.   I'm  obviously can hit you back that's the way I was taught.   I want to be treated with respect.  Doesn't matter if I'm black or white, girl or boy. I want respect and I feel as thought trolls are disrespectful.   But I know that trolls are never going to stop there just gonna keep growing.

The Obvious Choice Is Not Always The Right Answer

     The Internet Age is an age where everyone's life is literally on the Internet, their personal information, their bank accounts, their jobs, all revolves around it. Although this technology revolutionise everything including our daily lives, it also brings along bullying, or in this case cyberbullying. With our fast growing Internet which is till in its infantile state, comes the spread of bullying, now not only can people bully others in their neighbourhood, or school ground, they can also bully others who are thousand of miles away. People blamed such widespread of bullying on Internet anonymity, believed to be the source and essence of all cyberbullying. They think that anonymity allows people to bully, and harass others through hate speech, and sometimes even death threats without having to meet the consequences; however there are some people who think that even though with all of its detriment to the society, anonymity provides  so much more to the society that it outweighs the damage that it can and has already caused. Thus, comes the question, should we or should we not proscribe anonymity? Or is anonymity even the main problem?
     First of all, anonymity gives socially conscious voice power. It allows people to focus more on what is being stated rather who is saying the statement. It gives people the freedom to speak out and know that they'll be safe from harm (Milner). People are no longer afraid to express what they believe and what they are seeing of our society. They do not have to hide behind their mental barrier and repress their opinion just because their ideology is different from the world they came from. Therefore anonymity proves to be very important and valuable to the society we are living in today, a society where one can instantly get bashed for sharing a different opinion from the majority. Even though, anonymity gives cyberbullies a free pass to do whatever they want, we have to consider that bullying has existed long before the invention of the Internet. Who's to say that removing anonymity will stop cyber bullying? Anonymity is not the root of bullying, racism, sexism, stereotypes, bigotries, which have been embedded into our society and culture for centuries, are the true centres of bullying. Therefore, if we want to stop cyber bullying and bullying altogether, we should start by ending all of these unnecessary discriminations. After all, if we are to remove the weeds, we should start with their roots, or they'll grow back over and over again.


Norleakvisoth Lim

Anonymity Used The Right Way

Whenever the word ‘Anonymity’ is brought up in a conversation, it’s usually perceived as being a negative thing because of online trolls. They have given the name such a bad reputation because those who use anonymity most of the time like to cause havoc or harass others online without having to reveal themselves at all. Anonymity was created originally to let people share their ideas to the world without having to show their true identities. For example, In one of the comments I read for the Coleman article, a user that goes by the username ‘Chris (PA)’ said that he prefers to use anonymity because he works as a college professor and does want his students to find comments or posts where he expresses his beliefs and such to be traced back to him. Another comment from that same article read that the person did not want to reveal himself either because he lives in an area where everyone is a republican but he is a democrat. A lot of places that he's worked at are all politically related jobs and to avoid being harassed by everyone he choses to stay private. I think that in order for social media and other websites to prevent anymore trolling, they should create a comment system where the post has to be approved before being put out for everyone to see. If that were to be done then it could save tons of people from getting bullied by internet trolls daily and change the use of anonymity in a more positive way and how it is supposed to be.

Is Anonymity the Core Problem?

     Some people believe that anonymity is the most important component of the cyber world, especially social media, because it allows people the express their feelings and opinions about any topic. While it allows people to express their opinions thoroughly, it does bring up the problem of people expressing negative thoughts. Anonymity gives people confident to say things they wouldn't normally say the others face to face. Many writers who chose to publish an article about controversial topics, especially about justice and equality, often get harass by people who are considered online troll.
      Due to harassment that people received, many started to call out for a solution to stop cyber harassment. Some suggested that social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram should take some responsibility in order to discourage people to posting mean comments. One of the solution that were introduced was the idea of forcing people to identify themselves by providing basic personal information. People are hoping that by removing anonymity, trolls wouldn't have the courage to harass others.
     I believe that removing anonymity can and will help reducing the occurrence of online trolling. However, I believe that the main problem does not lie with anonymity. I think that our main concern lies within our society and the way with treat others. The problem with our society is that people will say whatever they wish because they know that it's their basic human right. Freedom of speech is the core value of the American people, but some people will abuse that right in a unproductive way. In order to completely eliminate cyber harassment, we have to put restriction on freedom of speech in the online world. However, that solution will never get implemented because people will never agree to give up their basic human whether they are a troll or they are a person getting troll.
     I honestly believe that online trolling will never be solve as long as people don't think before they speak. The cause of cyber harassment, in my opinion, in not anonymity but it's the way we act. If people don't improve the way they interact, we will never solve this problem. If people don't stop discriminating, our society will never move forward. It is up to us as a person to determine which direction we want our social value to move in. So before you speak, think about how people are going to get affected by it.

Technology

All of this stuff about online and anonymous also is because of the such easy access to technology like computers and cellphones and other. The reason why I bring this up is because I just arrived from a week and a half-ish vacation in Mexico with my family in which I did not stay in a hotel in a touristy area but in relatives home and it was very different technology-wise. I'm not saying it was hard or anything but just different from here in the CA where almost every household, depending on how many people live in it, has at least 1-3 computers if not more and almost every person has a cellphone. My relatives had about one computer per household. Also a thing that is very big in Mexico are cyber cafes, if you don't know what a cyber cafe is its just a building with computers on tables and accessible wifi but you have to pay to use it. These are everywhere and they're filled with students doing work. Then cellphones were so different. People don't really walk around using their cell phones halfway because you don't want it to get stolen but also because they're not smartphones they're flip phones and classic phones and a few with smartphone but not the most capable ones. I walked into a cellphone store just to take a look and it astonished me the majority of phones sold are flip phones and classic phones and the smart phones that are on display aren't the top of line Samsung, iPhone, or LG phones but the lesser ones that run on old versions of android. All of this made me think does trolling happen in places like this because it just feels like there is more of an importance put on the use of technology. It was something that was on my mind the whole trip and it was interesting as well to be in a different environment.

Anonymity is the Way to Go Anonymity can help in many different ways. For example someone could know something that may potentially hurt the other person, but they do not want to physically tell that person because they don't want to be compromised or brought in the mix of things. As a result, they go on some type of social media outlet anonymously and tell that person to be aware and keep safe. Most people would consider this act as being a snitch, but guess what, no one knows who you are. To be honest I kind of hate that you can't help someone in everyday society without being labled a snitch, but that's a whole different blog post. Anonymity can also help with someone who has a serious situation they need to overcome, but are just too embarrassed to say anything about it. So they create an anonymous account and asks for advice from his or her fellow peers or just people out there on the internet. This could encourage that person to overcome their fear or what ever they have to conquer to feel better about themselves. Anonymous postings could literally change someone's outlook on life, and that's the beauty of the whole concept.

On and On, Anon (or, The Tale of Katawa Shoujo and 4Leaf Studios)

Katawa Shoujo is a visual novel video game in which the protagonist discovers the ability of the human spirit to overcome disabilities and circumstances. The heroines all have physical disabilities that they all manage to overcome in different ways. The game has been hailed as an insightful look into how disabled individuals cope, and deals with the problems of disabilities without either beating around the bush or being insensitive. This was very surprising to the internet community, because Katawa Shoujo's origin stems from the place you'd least expect: 4chan.
4chan is a website where you can make posts about nearly anything anonymously. Almost no topic of off-bounds. Insults, defamation, threats, all are welcome on 4chan. The incident where celebrities nudes were leaked happened on 4chan. 4chan is a place where the worst of online society can meet and casually discuss things like rape, ISIS, and crime without fear of being ridiculed.
Of course, those discussions are only possible because of anonymity. A discussion of those topics would be impossible on Facebook because of the stigma of having your name attached to the topic. It's the freedom of anonymity that allowed a nurse to inspire one of the most touching games of all time.
The story goes something like this: A poster on the /b/ board on 4chan stated that he was a nurse currently taking care of a young girl who was in a car accident. Both of her parents were killed, and the girl (Ampu-tan) had to lose both of her legs, her left arm, and her right eye. The nurse (Nurse-kun) originally told the story to ridicule the girl online and share her pathetic condition with the rest of 4chan. As Nurse-kun continued to update the post, however, his empathy toward Ampu-tan grew. He began to legitimately care for the girl, and at the end of her treatment, the nurse adopted her.
This inspired a team of game developers on 4chan to band together to create a world filled with compassion for disabled children. The took the name 4Leaf Studios as an homage to the 4chan clover logo.
This game would never have been made without 4chan. Do you really think that anyone in their right mind would ridicule a crippled girl if they knew that their name was visible to everyone who read it? Some things are better left unsaid. This is the reason that I, and others like me, need anonymity.
TL;DR START HERE
I think that 4chan exists as a place to expel all of your terrible thoughts and issues without anyone knowing that it's you. It's easier to talk about your problems when no one knows that you're the one with the problem. 4chan is a haven where you can talk about things that trouble you and release your anger and sadness anonymously. Like the case of Nurse-kun and Ampu-tan, talking about your problems can often make them better; however, not everyone is willing to release their problems to people that can judge them. This is why we need anonymity. Anonymity provides a comforting barrier and encourages people to speak up. Like any other tool, anonymity can be misused, but it still remains as an overall beneficial feature in the digital world that should not be limited.