Something I've commonly seen mentioned in online conversations is the
"Greater Internet Anonymity Theory" which suggests that
I think the whole
"anonymity" part is overrated. I've seen people defend asshole-ish behavior by stating something
like "oh, it's just the Internet" like people suddenly turn into
assholes when they're on-line but act normally otherwise.
With the rise of social media sites, I think that's largely untrue. Google switched the comments section of YouTube to Google+, and I've seen no change in quality even though many people now post behind their real names. Same thing with Facebook - there are an unbelievable number of assholes on Facebook. Same thing with dating sites, too. I think the real issue is not that we're anonymous, it's that people can act out without ever really having to meet the other person face to face.
"Normal Person +
Anonymity + Audience = Total Assholes."
With the rise of social media sites, I think that's largely untrue. Google switched the comments section of YouTube to Google+, and I've seen no change in quality even though many people now post behind their real names. Same thing with Facebook - there are an unbelievable number of assholes on Facebook. Same thing with dating sites, too. I think the real issue is not that we're anonymous, it's that people can act out without ever really having to meet the other person face to face.
