A Case for Pseudonyms

A Case for Pseudonyms

This article can be viewed multiple ways; it is not a simple yes or no answer. While personally I have not created a online activist page nor do I feel that if I were to use my legal name I would be discriminated against nevertheless, I choose not use my legal name. My decision to use a shorten version of my given name was a choice that I made based on the fact that I would be releasing my personal information on the Internet. For example, if I were to use my given name it would make it increasing simple for employers and other people alike to "Google" me and find information that is not necessarily relevant to the relationship that we have or will be forming in the future. The Internet has made it overly easy to find information on people etc. where others are able to use it to harm a person or make assumptions about the individual based on how they spend their free time. I feel that the majority of people who use the Internet are not aware of the information they are displaying and distributing to others. For example, on my Facebook account I am surprised with how many of my friends update their status and provide others with their exact location. 

As outlined in the article, individuals who identify as LGBT may feel that a pseudonym can offer protection against harassment. In addition, the freedom to express their thoughts and feelings in a safe setting. With the increased awareness of bullying over the past few years, I feel that the victims of harassment who are apart of online communities would be negatively affected by these changes. 

With all rules and procedures there will always be a small percentage of people who take advantage of the systems in place. Companies such as Facebook and Google+ who require users to log in with their legal name in my opinion, will loose a significant amount of users who have similar beliefs as I. 

One way to address this issue is by offering users a screen name of their choice that would be visible to the audience. They would be required to use their legal name to sign in but, it would be kept confidential. This would allow the user to remain “anonymous” while ensuring  their actions are traceable back to them. 

Names that are more colorful than the average pseudonym could influence the reader to develop a biased opinion of the material. If I were to read a article online from a site that I regularly use and trust and the author identified himself as “BubblesB” I would second-guess the accuracy of the information. On the other hand, if the author identified himself by Dr. Philip Bowes (using either a pseudonym or their legal name) I would be less inclined to question the material. Although pseudonyms can be problematic, readers can further analyze the quality and creators of the website to develop a more accurate assumption.