[kictanet] Anonymity

[Alex Comninos]

Bantu, thanks for initiating this interesting and very important conversation.

Anonymity has plenty of legitimate uses.
- Women children and vulnerable groups seeking help on abuse or sexual abuse
- Discussions in LGBT communities in societies in which certain
sexualities are illegal or persecuted
- For activists under repressive regimes under which the excersise of
free speech and association can be deadly
- can we think of any others?

- child protection:
I started using the internet in 1996, I was 16, I used IRC (online
chat), common sense then was that the internet is filled with
strangers, with motivations that are not clear, and that to be safe,
one does not use their real name, which I did not. I encountered
plenty of peadophiles and child predators, they were obviously in many
cases protected by anonymity, and so was I, I did not use my real
name, and I masked and spoofed my IP address, thus, unless I revealed
my real identity, or was tricked into meeting one of these predators,
I was safe. I wonder how it would be today? if as I child I met these
people on Facebook - they would know my real name, where I lived, my
music interests, my friends, etc. If and when I have children, I will
encourage them to be anonymous online.

Furthermore, of course making a statement online allows someone to be
a "coward" if they want. It also however allows others to focus on the
argument they make, rather than to judge the argument by who they are,
where they work, where they come from, etc... I would propose that
anonymity can add to more valuable online discussion based on the
strength of arguments, rather than who makes them.

Online anonymity has many problems, but also many benefits. It is I
believe essential to internet freedom as we know it today.

On 9 February 2013 08:50, bantu wachanga <bwachanga at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Nge'the,
> I have since long concluded that the internet came to save cowards...they can howl and do all they want here , yet they are right infront of you. They cannot do the same in a face to face setting for they lack courage. Thank God, anything i post on the net bears my true identity. I know there are many that share that with me. Bravo to all that do the same for they are true believers of what they say
>
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