John,
Let me offer my opinion – as an “anonymous” web contributor and denizen of the blogosphere.
I have conservative views, recently discovered (ie over the past 5 years) but socially, familially, and career-wise, I am surrounded by Leftism. oh there are some kindred spirits, certainly. I’m not completely alone in that there are some who know and who think the same as me. But there is real jeopardy in speaking my mind and attaching my name to it.
The great thing is that I can participate in online discussions, express my opinions that are taboo in my real life, and by interacting with others of like mind, refine and improve my outlook and beliefs.
So the anonymity is a bonus for me. But because I know (and love) people in real life who have diametrically opposed views, I don’t – can’t – trash those views online the way others do. When someone is trolling koslike at PJ or elsewhere, my temptation to insult them is tempered by the lingering thought…. “What if that’s uncle stan? He’s been getting into the online thing lately. WOrse: what if it’s my brother or my mother?” So I’ll use sarcasm and (in my mind) witty put-downs, but really try to treat all with as much respect as I can manage in the circumstances.
Having said all that, your points about anonymity are valid. I see too many people using anonymity to do drive-by trolls, defamation, abuse, and outright bullying. It’s likely that real identities would put a stop to that. One solution that would solve my problem as well as reduce anonymity-abuse (“anonabuse?”) would be “real world” registration with the site, using real names but made up screen names. The site (e.g, pajamasmedia) knows the true identity, but people are free to talk anonymously to other members.
Some online communities already use this model.
By the way, I’ve been posting as “daddy dave” around the conservasphere for several years, but am planning to lift the veil of anonymity and start blogging with my true name, rather than just hanging around PJ, Tim Blair, Townhall and others.
