You know, I understand the value of anonymity. It has created opportunities for many of the world’s most controversial perspectives to be heard in the face of abusive regimes and catatonic populations. One of my favorite social media accounts (AllCapsBro on Twitter) is anonymous, Banksy has utilized it to spread an artistic message of anti-conformity across the 21st century, Internet warriors for decades have utilized anonymity or pseudo-anonymity to push causes forward - I get it: sometimes it’s valuable to hide behind a mask.
However, when those entities begin to be corrupted by an agenda that is linked to money, they sacrifice the mantle. Posturing for profit or attention is despicable and worse when anonymity is used to do it. At least with Hollywood or political celebrities, we know who they are and can observe their track record. When it’s a one or more keyboard jockeys slamming out content that flies in the face of reason without disclosing their underlying profit-motive intention and relationships with corporate overlords: we have a problem.
This kind of scum produces an information disservice to the public and the audience that follows them. They can seemingly walk a line between establishment money and underdog status. We know better though, an authoritarian is an authoritarian is an authoritarian…no matter how they dress. They will say anything, do anything, look like anything while taking a paycheck or worse in a smokey back room behind a door most aren’t aware exists.
We’ve seen it time and again. Propaganda artists don’t even need to know they are in on the game while unwittingly advancing mechanisms that they may even espouse to be against. That’s the complexity of the modern social landscape. As we transition deeper into the attention economy, integrity and transparency become more valuable in regards to the quality of the message transmitted.
They may inadvertently propagate hate and violence, negligently promote illicit activities which their transparently real followers latch onto in the spirit of fun entertainment while making their behavior apparent to law enforcement, endorse skewed political agendas, or have a clearly biased relationship with particular media sources.
None of that matters though because they are “anonymous”, right?
I agree with your take on anonymity. It might have its place where the law doesn't protect the dissident voice, but too often it is more of a means to hurl insults or degrade others without suffering the repercussions of what's being said. It can lead to ruined reputations without merit. Even if the cause is true, we all should have the chance to know who our accusers are and their motives behind what they say. Good luck, though, trying to curb people hiding behind their anonymity, or always using it for civil discourse. Perhaps if more of us point it out and agree to disagree the tide can change? One can only hope. :)
Thank you for reading and for your introspective response. This is a thought experiment that actually has some relevance to my digital life and the area I call home. I am hoping to bring light to this issue in regards to a user that is hiding behind anonymity for their own gain, whether profit or attention.
Just needed to get these ideas out there and see what worked editorially. Most of the specifics have been left out of this edition. There are more photos and specific finger pointing that will emerge on other platforms as I roll this out to my community.
Well, everything has its perks and disadvantages. Anonymity is widely useful specially in the world of cryptography, that is the main purpose. In politics, it would be used for protection of self incrimination to inject propaganda, specially in social media-sites. I've read it on a wiki article about the Russia's influence in US politics and agenda and Facebook made steps out on it.
Just clarifying that you read what I wrote? I pretty much addressed everything you're saying here.
Anonymity is millenniums old, cryptography is just a recent application. One of my personal favorite examples from history is Silence Dogood.
Yes I've read and reiterated it. Man the Silence Doogod was a good one. I may have not a lot of details about it since I've come to know about it in a movie. I have set cryptography as an example since we have been discussing in an application of it through the blockchain technology. Overall, you have explained it over what you wrote. I just wanted to interact with people all around here.
Sorry I was skeptical - I appreciate the feedback. What you were saying was so close to what I was saying but seemingly paraphrased it threw me off.
Definitely look into Benjamin Franklin's life story - I think the Isaac Walterson biography version is a good place to start.
Definitely keep engaging, I'm just a weirdo. Glad to meet you
It is my opinion that a vast majority of the "Anonymous" material we see is actually gov co-intel. It's very hard to tell who the real freedom fighters are, but I believe actions speak louder than words. Actions can be done to deceive though too, so you need to be able to watch a pattern of actions over time. Are they consistent? With regular people you can do that, but with anonymous accounts there's no way to do it. It is definitely an issue, and wise people should pay attention and guard against blindly trusting such sources.
Very astute reply - in complete agreement with your entire statement. Have followed your account
Thanks and followed back!
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Great post
What did you specifically like?
I agreed with your points on being anonymous, but I am so much more in agreement on being transparent. I feel that is the only way we get back to integrity and impurity. A lifting of the veil so to speak.
The alleys and gutters are open to everyone...but stay outta them