Anonymity and Martyrs

olive: this was sent to me last week, sorry for the delay, from uffadave.

For the past few months the webmaster of OliveAurora, and I have been trading emails concerning the use of anonymous postings on the blog and forum. My thesis for my second master’s in journalism is on ethics. I have tried to counsel Olive on the ethics surrounding blogs, forums and news sites. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and just about all the other large daily newspapers, small dailies and weeklys are battling with the issue of anonymous postings versus requiring a name – something you must do to submit a letter to a newspaper. So if the big boys are having fits over the issue, just imagine how Olive feels. It’s confusing, it’s scary and it’s not easy.

Several years back the Los Angeles Times tried an editorial experiment they called a Wikitorial. The experiment lasted two days before the< Times shut it down from abuse. Anonymous posters got on and used foul and pornographic language. In the end, the abusers destroyed an experiment designed to give the average citizen a little more voice than they normally get with the letters to the editor. I took issue with the postings of several anonymous posters concerning their take on the school's video. The one issue I poked at up front was the use of pseudonyms to hide the real poster. In truth, as Olive and I discussed the issue I encouraged him to continue allowing anonymous posting because it was giving a voice, and a forum, to people who might not otherwise speak up. Many of the postings were focused on the school levy and, much to the chagrin of school administrators and board members – because many were filled with dubious information and facts, were anonymous. However, as I advised many people at many levels, you can’t battle misleading information and facts if you don’t know what they are.

School personnel have claimed they don’t read the forums and blogs (which I don’t really don’t believe) and that is wrong. Public relations and public information isn’t about writing the happy stories, it’s about listening and reading, and dealing with the rumors, the innuendo, and misleading information. It is all about properly informing the public.

One poster brought up the issue of Internet safety. I am very familiar with Internet safety and have taught it for many years. But here’s the bad part, chances are your name and a great deal of your private information is already out there on the Internet. Don’t believe me? Google your name sometime.

But the real issue here is the use of anonymous posting and the potential for abuse. In the past I have submitted stories to Jeff under the name UffdaDave; it is my moniker, my nom de plume. When it came to the video comments I chose to expose myself for many reasons, including the fact that I would not be able to drop down to name-calling and backhanded slams, and then hide behind a pseudonym. I would have to be accountable for my comments. Many people post anonymously for many reasons; some out of fear, some out of shyness, and maybe even some out of respect. However, in the end you must realize that it greatly diminishes your argument when you aren’t willing to put your name to it.

When it’s all said and done I respect everybody’s right to an opinion. So strongly do I believe in the First Amendment that I will fight to the death to protect those rights – even if it means allowing anonymous posting.