No to User Names

The term pseudonyms is when an author uses a fake name to protect their given birth name. In the article the author explains how individuals who are a part of an activist group may choose to use a pseudonym because they are afraid of backlash or harassment from other people. In my opinion I have a hard time rationalizing this idea. I feel as though it gives people an invisible shield to hide behind.

The internet has become a place for people to voice their own opinions freely. Which they have every right too. I think this is an amazing opportunity for people to voice their own thoughts and ideas. At the same time I feel as though people should take responsibility for what they say by having their birth name. By having a user name it makes people not have to take accountability for what they say. This is the same idea as in emails and text messages people are able to hide behind their words. I believe people should be able to say anything they want online but must be able to say it in person. For example if someone wants to trash or promote a feminist group they should be able to repeat it in the exact same words in a public setting. If they can full fill this then they have no need for a user name in the first place.

In the article the author gets mad about Facebook and Google+ for kicking people off who don’t chose to use their real names. However when you sign up to use the corporations services you are agreeing to their terms and conditions. So I believe that they should absolutely be kicked off as why should they be held to a different set of rules then the rest of the public?  

As to a previous post about cyber bullying children live in a world of technology and need to be taught about the harmful effects of posting everything about your life online. No one walks around passing out business cards with their name, age, address, 4 phone numbers, email address, all links to social media pages, intimate details about theirs and their families’ life and 600 pictures of themselves to random people on the street. Their common sense should be to not post this stuff online. We are taught by our parents not to trust a stranger on the street so a stranger on the internet should be no different. Any information that you would not give in public should not be given online (same idea as previously stated). This is not to say that I do not care or feel bad about cyber bullying but maybe children at 10 shouldn’t have a multiple internet sites where they post their entire life story. I believe that education is the answer for both parties involved in bullying.

There is no easy answer to whether pseudonyms should be used or not, this is because people are all different. The likely hood of everyone agreeing will be minimal to none. In the same idea there are advantages and disadvantages to both sides of the argument.