Anonymity services have become quite popular with the emergence of the World Wide Web. In particular, anonymity software services allow users to conceal their real names. Concealing real information on the Internet because it is helpful for users who are willing to know that the site they surf remain anonymous for the Internet provider.
Such a function has an advantage for enhancing user’s security because it prevents the public organization from illegal invading their database. Consolidating security contributes to the prevention of web bugs and invisible GIF, which passes information from user’s personal computer to the Web site’s third parties.
Hence, restricted access to computers allows users to increase security and remain anonymous. There are many other benefits of anonymity in a virtual space, including undesired publicity, avoiding excess attention to details from personal life, and increased safety of private information.
Giving publicity to some aspects of famous people’s life can have negative consequences for their reputation and welfare. Therefore, anonymity establishes certain rules that ensure safety and privacy of surfing the net and attending certain sites.
At this point, educators should assist students in developing appropriate online behaviors and explaining why online ethics is important for users (Hsu et al. 2011). Although free speech has always been important since the emergence of the Internet, anonymity should still be protected to prevent the leakage of confidential information (Rigby 1995).
Therefore, anonymity should be protected as a product of social tolerance to private space of individuals who strive to be anonymous, yet reachable.
There are many occasions when bloggers suffer from commentaries or even threats concerning the content of their websites. Therefore, they often prefer being anonymous to avoid complications (Tanowitz, 2006).
Certainly, there is a growing tendency in removing the boundaries between the readers and the reporters, which attracts the audience and contributes to the reliability of information posted online.
Nevertheless, many of the pseudonyms are still quite popular among the readers and, therefore, there is no need for revealing your name. The assumption that anonymity does not contribute to the reliability and credibility of the content is false because posting information online is strictly regulated by cyber law (Cook, 2010). Thus, anonymity is the matter of personal preferences.
In defense of internet anonymity, specific attention should be given to privacy issues because most of individuals reject to reveal their real names for the purpose of security. This is of particular concern to the victims of criminals, educators, and many other individuals whose rights should be protected by law (McElroy, 2011).
At this point, most of the problems often arise because of inappropriate use of personal information, which can have much more serious consequences to user’s welfare. Moreover, revealing personal information is also the matter of ethics because some of the issues of personal life can damage career or reputation.
In conclusion, defending anonymity is not only beneficial for users in terms of concealing their personal life, but also in terms of their security and welfare.
Due to the fact that most of the online space is used by journalists who often unveil provocative information about governmental or political affairs, it is highly important for these users to remain anonymous to minimize the risks for their lives.
Anonymity should not be confused with security and illegal content placement because there are many other means that ensure the validity and truthfulness of facts.
References
Cook, M. (2010). In defense of Anonymity Online. The Guardian. Web.
Hsu, J-L., Hwang, W.-Y., Huang, Y-M., & Liu, J.-J. (2011). Online Behavior in Virtual Space: An Empirical Study on Helping. Educational Technology & Society, 14(1), 146-157.
McElroy, W. (2011). In Defense of Internet Anonymity. Ludwig von Mises Institute. Web.
Rigby, K. (1995). Anonymity on the Internet Must be Protected. Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier. Web.
Tanowitz, C. (2006). Media Metamorphosis: Anonymity in the New Media World. Web.