Anonymity or openness?

Elainiwen · Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 5999 Location: Finland

Both are being used, having their pros and cons in the internet.

Anonymity is staying behind nicknames.

Pros: It can protect the regular good people.
Cons: It can also protect those who are trolls or predators, or otherwise crooked people.

Openness is telling your real name and showing your real photos.

Pros: Will give the others more reason to trust you because you show that you have little to hide.
Cons: Give away too much information, and you expose yourself to trouble.
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AHnomaly · Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 24 Location: USA - MA

Whatever, man.

Chloe · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 822 Location: Australia

I try to have a sort of balance between the two when on the internet.
I have nothig to hide, but at the same time I don't wish to screw myself over by giving away too much.

Arezeon · Joined: 06 Jan 2009 Posts: 5000 Location: India

There has to be a balance.

Just like too much of anonymity and scepticism is something questionable, excess of openness like blabbering relentlessly about your personal life or sharing pictures of every other moment to seek some cheap attention, is also extremely irritating.
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Dean · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 2410 Location: India

Revenir · Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 1360 Location: USA

I like things being anonymous. If you have things open, then people are more hesitant to be honest because there's that threat of your personal reputation getting harmed.

Like, here, I'm just a username. I could say something completely offensive and insane and nobody's going to know the difference in real life. Granted, it would be in limits on IMVU because I wouldn't want to risk getting banned, but I could go on any random forum and then there's no limits.

Can it be abused? Yeah. But I would rather have somebody be able to speak crudely versus having no one be able to speak their mind.
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Jawhol · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 15653 Location: USA - OR

There's a balance between the two. Some people here know my real name. I don't care about that because it's a common name. A select few have my facebook, but that is because I trust them since they have proven over the years that I don't have to worry about them (Or do I Cappy and Poly...).
However on the forums I don't normally share any photos. I keep my friends anonymity safe that way since I don't usually have any photos that are just of me.

hoi · Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 2087 Location: Sweden

I'm extremely anonymous, I even lie about my first name on sites because it's not too common and I'm very paranoid...
I think anonymity is good since we can state exactly what's on our mind, how bluntly we want to.

I find it utterly stupid when people have blogs where they pretty throw out every waking moment of their lives on screen and don't think about the consequences at all.
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AnakaTarren · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 4471 Location: USA

There is no real anonymity any more.

You might be able to hide from another user, but almost all corporate websites track you by IP address, there is a strong move to device fingerprinting tracking (to actually track your phone or PC), and many sites also sell/share your information with demographics database companies that match your avatar name to your other email addresses and real information. And most of that (often including your avatar name and all personal information) is available for sale to ANYONE from these big companies for $25 to $50.

Even IMVU uses AdMonkey (owned by Dapper and Yahoo) to track web activity and Blue Cava to track device fingerprint ... with no ability for IMVU members to opt out of sharing/selling of their information and activities. (Search the forums for topics on those product names if you want more info.)

I'm all in favor of site security, but believe it is wrong to sell or share my information without my permission, especially when it's known that the inaccurately-labeled "non-personal information" that is sold is readily backwards engineered to your name, phone, and street address.
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Cristensen · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 2180 Location: USA

Be both. I only give away information that can only be used to identify myself, I don't really care if people know my full name or age or location. Probably because I can handle myself should any malicious aspects of the Internet become reality. If they are really close friends whom I trusts dearly, then I'll unlock more private info about myself and such. But I still monitor what I give away and not just blab away stuff like my credit card numbers.

Picori · Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 5453

JennyRhysMeyers · Joined: 16 Dec 2009 Posts: 124 Location: USA - OH

I voted for Openness. I try to be myself without sharing everything. Laughing

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digitalanarchy07 · Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 4033 Location: Italy

It depends what you refer to net, social networks vs 3D Chats like this one.
3D Chats are constructed in base of virtual fantasy ? If you want to associate yourself with all the tarded, freaking weird and ridiculous crap that is in it Laughing

. Transparency kinda defeats the purpose of a 3D Chat.
Meanwhile in mainstream Social networks the norm is different, total different world. You can be transparent in terms of names or the rest in places like this but would make no sense to go against what it is.
Even when it comes to social networks privacy is a big factor to.
Not everything should be given away, in future you may burn yourself i.e future employer ect.

digitalanarchy07 · Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 4033 Location: Italy

Aesica · Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 4228 Location: USA - WA

I believe in a balance of both. I realize that I lack balance in that I'm too anonymous, but that's just because I'm a people-hating hermit. ^^
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