By Sophie Foster
Opinion Editor
Online anonymity is a concept that operates almost exclusively in extremes.
The allowance for anonymity makes censorship more difficult; makes necessary criticisms less daunting to share; and shelters marginalized groups, including transgender users and survivors of abuse endeavoring to keep elements of their identity out of public view.
However, anonymity proves to be a slippery slope that makes dangerous rhetoric more tempting to espouse without a looming threat of ramification.
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.”
Further complicating this conundrum is the element of proximity. According to the BBC, people are more likely to withhold harmful rhetoric when the subject of is nearby. The internet eliminates this shield, allowing strangers to feel, or physically be, very distant.
Today, social media accounts on apps like X or TikTok use aliases and profile pictures of characters, scenes, or other non-identifying images. It is easier than ever to be publicly abusive without risking retribution.
Nonetheless, this does not mean anonymity itself is the singular issue to be addressed when managing this enduring discussion.
According to The Conversation, “while it’s clear there is a need to address how we engage with and on social media…[and] there are many examples of people using anonymous social media accounts to abuse others online, it’s equally clear that anonymity can be a lifeline to many users and communities. Posting anonymously can allow people to protect themselves – to openly discuss and deal with complex topics safely. It can allow people to speak out about abuse, and seek information.”
LGBTQ+ users, for example, can use anonymity to connect with community, discuss sexuality and gender identity, and access critical information without putting themselves at immediate risk of harm from those in their personal lives. Survivors of domestic abuse might be able to raise awareness without putting themselves in blatant harm’s way. Drag queens could lean on anonymity to promote their work without publicizing their private lives.
Unfortunately, this does also work conversely. Anonymity can be weaponized against the people it should protect. These impacts are made clear, for example, by the rampant and often violent threats made to actresses Amber Heard and Angelina Jolie by unnamed social media users, according to Cinemablend. When their respective accusations of domestic violence against ex-husbands actors Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt were brought to courtroom floors, social media spiraled into conflict.
While Jolie’s battle against online vitriol is ongoing, Heard’s culminated in a jury vote in favor of her alleged abuser, according to Time. This vote has been deemed questionable by many; jurors were not prevented from viewing or interacting with the online spectacle.
On a more localized scale, Washington College is regularly embroiled in debates about the value — or lack thereof — of Yik Yak, which allows anonymous posts to the campus community.
While the app was originally shut down in 2017 “following a series of campus controversies involving bullying and racist threats,” according to Inside Higher Ed, it was eventually relaunched with community guardrails in place to protect against such incidents.
Still, Yik Yak “can propagate the spread of misinformation on campuses,” be used to make subtle threats, and facilitate sexual harassment, according to Inside Higher Ed. Users employ workarounds to preventing harassment, opting to use classmates’ initials or professors’ job titles to speak freely without being banned for using their actual names, a rule Yik Yak has since put in place.
The issue is decidedly complex. A ban of Yik Yak by college administrators or restrictions of social media anonymity by developers will reduce protective aspects of that anonymity and veer dangerously close to censorship. That being said, it is equally dangerous to move forward without solid repercussions for those willing to abuse the privilege of anonymity.
Part of the solution is community organization and care. Particularly in regards to platforms like Yik Yak, we owe it to one another to communicate and demand accountability. It is, really, all subjective; the lines between publicizing dangers and platforming bullying are sometimes thin or blurry, so we must be critical in drawing boundaries and reporting posts when they go too far.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Photo caption: Yik Yak has been the host of a myriad of anonymous commentary, much of which comes with potential harm to communities.