Nom de Guerre

Nom de Guerre

aka pseudonym

In wishing to remain anonymous, most people will use a pseudonym. However, anonymity is difficult to achieve because true anonymity requires unlikability. A quality in skill in which most users on the Internet do not possess. 

Nonetheless, many writers over the Web choose not to participate under their legal name for many reasons. A big contender being privacy. 

In my opinion, pseudonyms clearly have a number of benefits. This privacy option would be useful to those that are unfortunately living in oppressive state regimes and who wish to share their opinion and their story to the world. They want to be heard and anonymity is their only way of achieving that, despite the lack of integrity in the source. 

There are others, who may be referred to as "whistleblowers" who want to comment on their employers work ethics without the risk of being terminated from their employment they had worked so hard to maintain. Employers are an excellent example on why employees prefer to hide behind an alias over social media. A number of employers seek to learn more about those that work for them and how well they work. To attain that information, they result in using social media sites to track the actions of potential employees. 

Celebrities have a huge issue with keeping their private life private. If we may be so bold to say that they are people too, we can also assume that perhaps a handful of them wish to participate in online forums discussing topics of interest. However, the problem with that situation is that their opinions could be publicized - most likely in a negative way. Or, their celebrity status is the only reason that they have earned the respect of their readers. In that case, having a pseudonym to resort to is key for them. 

Lastly, another group of people that benefit from anonymity are forums that provide information about sensitive matters. These websites pride themselves in offering the option to be anonymous and not reveal personal problems for the worldwide web to enjoy. However, I am not naive in that matter either. I would much rather trust a credited source on such matters than a username such as: doctor_help_you7. 

Another reason on why I agree with anonymity is because everyone has (and needs) multiple identities for themselves because most people act differently around their spouse than they do around their friends or colleagues. Or, more relatable, teenagers portray themselves completely different around their parents then how they act around their friends. It is opposite identities we are all juggling daily. With that being said, if social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter are striving to have the relationships we have in real life posted live on their news feed, they need to be lenient to the fact that not everyone acts the same way in person as they do on the Internet. 

Which is why having pseudonyms as an option on social sites and the overall Internet is out of respect and politeness. These are fundamental morals that our society holds. We should be allowed our right to privacy and alias' are a great way of granting this on the Internet.