Anonymous Communication Policies for the Internet: Results and Recommendations of the AAAS Conference

Al Teich, Mark S. Frankel, Rob Klin
1999 The Information Society  
The Internet offers new opportunities for anonymous and pseudonymous communications. Users can, for example, engage in political advocacy, receive counseling, and perform commercial transactions without disclosing their identities. The cloak of anonymity can also facilitate socially unacceptable or criminal activities because of the difficulty in holding anonymous users accountable. This paper reports the results of a conference on anonymous communication organized by the American Association
more » ... r the Advancement of Science. Among the findings were that online anonymous communication is morally neutral; that it should be considered a strong human and constitutional right; that online communities should be allowed to set their own policies on the use of anonymous communication; and that individuals should be informed about the extent to which their identity is disclosed online. The paper discusses how anonymous communications can be shaped by the law, education, and public awareness, and highlights the importance of involving all affected interests in policy development. voice, data, image, and video information from one point to another. It increases access to diverse information and entertainment resources that are delivered quickly and economically anywhere. And, most importantly, it facilitates interactive human communications. The appeal of Internet communication depends in part on its capacity to support anonymity. Internet users can make political claims as well as non-political comments, engage in whistle-blowing, conduct commercial transactions, and consume sexual materials without apparently disclosing their identities. All of these examples illustrate improved freedom from detection, retribution, and embarrassment. As a result, people may feel more comfortable communicating with strangers and exchanging confidential information. In other words, anonymous communication encourages Internet communications, and the Internet in turn may encourage anonymous communication. While many people believe that anonymous communication on the Internet is not only acceptable but has positive value, others see risk in it because anonymous users are not accountable for their behavior. Consequently, anonymity can mask or even encourage criminal or anti-social behavior.
doi:10.1080/019722499128538 fatcat:3d56ty4tszegjnil3auzhqtlw4