MALIK: Why online anonymity does not deserve its bad reputation
Column: On the Good Life
Reddit, Yik Yak and Rutgers Missed Connections: These are all ways Rutgers students have decided to connect with the world around them anonymously. The key thing here is the anonymity these applications give us as we come together under one umbrella: Rutgers.
The internet seems to have created a whole other community that is possibly more united than about any other place you can find on campus. Where else is the RUScrew so widely discussed?
But anonymity is something not everyone agrees is a great thing, especially Mark Zuckerberg. He once said, "You have one identity ... The days of you having a different image for your work friends or co-workers and for the other people you know are probably coming to an end pretty quickly … Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity."
Yes, the same man who is the CEO of Facebook, a company riddled with controversies because of its role in misinformation about coronavirus disease COVID-19 vaccines and the promotion of violence in Myanmar, has grand statements about integrity in terms of anonymity. Ironically, Instagram used to have a feature that showed everyone exactly what you liked and when you liked it.
While cases could and are being made to suggest that the younger generations lack social ability in response to the increase in social media usage, I believe there is a case to be made that our online presence is not as harmful as it is made out to be. If it is viewed in terms of the ability to express yourself in different ways, in different places and to different groups of people, it is essentially another social space, similar to a mall.
Full disclosure, this is by no means in support of the new wave of people who seem to be annoyed at people just trying to exist in the world of social places. I am referencing the movement to ban young ones from restaurants as if the world should cater to your needs, similar to how social media algorithms are designed to create a perfect feed that is seemingly synced with you. It is quite absurd.
Additionally, the use of anonymity to create negative environments through hate speech or other means is unjust. One should not engage in this behavior even if you feel like you can get away with not being held accountable.
In one study, it was noted that posting anonymously on the internet is a great way to find and learn to express yourself in specific groups.
The study said, "Early experimental research found that anonymous online environments allowed users to express their "true selves," including personal information and experiences they would not be comfortable disclosing in face-to-face interactions ... a theme also surfaced in ethnographic work documenting users' playful identity explorations in anonymous and pseudonymous discussion spaces."
But others could refer to this as compartmentalizing your personality or see this as a threat to the integrity of being who you are. Yet, I see a different perspective. It is not about lying or hiding but rather about exploring who you are in different spaces and seeing how you can morph and change.
These instances can allow for growth in certain areas of your personality and life that could not previously be fulfilled or grow with those around you, whether it was out of disinterest or anything else.
Zuckerberg's statement on the "lack of integrity," in my opinion, is dangerous because it suggests that there is only one way for an individual to be perceived and express themself and any other way of thinking is contradictory to your truth. This disregards others' perspectives on appropriate communication dynamics as well as the many different facets of someone’s personality.
It also disregards the fact that people have different comfort levels in terms of sharing themselves, which, by his definition, is against your one true identity. For someone who owns one of the most superficial social media platforms that almost always hides experiences with pretty pictures, I find it hypocritical of Zuckerberg.
Additionally, anonymity online allows you to seek help on particularly private matters with little to no judgment and without having to deal with those who may steer you down a wrong path. Usually, you are told a couple of options by those who have already gone through it.
It is also a great way to deal with topics that have to do with cultural or societal stigmas. For example, it was found that males more often use throwaway accounts to discuss the abuse they are facing and how to handle it. In a society that scoffs at abuse against males, believing it is not possible or fathomable, it is not only helpful but also empowering to have a place to seek help without facing the backlash.
Being anonymous on the internet may not be the best thing for several reasons and that can be easily understood based on the general hate speech riddled throughout society, but I think some positives are often overlooked.
So, while it may not have the greatest track record, at the start of the new semester, do not be afraid to ask for help anonymously or face-to-face.
Sehar Malik is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences, majoring in molecular biology and biochemistry and minoring in French. Her column, "On the Good Life," runs alternate Sundays.
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