Anonymous Blogging

For the most part, anonymous blogging is a really bad idea.  This point is illustrated by a recent case in Pittsburg, where a woman lost her job when her anonymous blog was outed. 

 

Obviously that doesn’t happen to everyone, but as soon as someone begins publishing nameless material others will start trying to guess who is really behind it.  Because people will interpret differently, imposing their own values and preconceptions onto the blogs, the revelation of the real author will almost always come as a disappointment.  The person behind the persona won’t live up to expectations, and in the end everyone will be more disappointed than if the blogger’s name had been available from the beginning.  What’s more, remaining a nameless author in today’s world is simply an unrealistic goal.  Though it may historically have worked well for political figures, philosophers, etc. who managed to assume a kind of “everyman” role, similar results are increasingly impossible in a digital world where an author’s identity is only a mouse click and subpoena away. (This article discusses both the case mentioned above as well as some others.)

 

Besides the practical problems of remaining nameless in a digital world, anonymity reeks of cowardice.  By it’s very nature the internet isolates people somewhat, at least physically, and that perceived isolation can lead to perceived freedoms; if someone is simply on their computer they may feel at liberty to say whatever they want, no matter how questionable.  (I know that I’ve fallen into this trap many times before and some extreme cases might be called cyber bullying.)  Anonymity lets someone have all that freedom, without any consequences or repercussions. In other words, anonymous bloggers disregard accountability for their writing.

 

Ultimately, there may always be a need for conscientious but nameless observers to decry problems in society.  However there will always be an even greater need for people who are willing to put their names on the line for progress.  Hopefully the blogosphere will get a few more people with the guts to take that risk.