Social Effects of Media Anonymity Research Paper

Social Effects of Media Anonymity - Research Paper Example Anonymity is one of the Internet’s attractions that allow users to surf endlessly without being known. You can make comments, you can divulge or keep some secrets, you can criticize people or even the powers that be without being known, or you can express and find love even if you are shy. But like any other medium, it is also being abused by people – criminals, dissidents, opportunists, etc., people who want to do their thing with deceit, or say something against people and just vanish into cyberspace. Internet anonymity is said to be a double-edged sword. This is because while this is being safeguarded by the U.S. Constitution, as upheld by the Supreme Court, it is also used to suppress other people’s rights and not be held responsible or accountable for their actions. There are many good things that the Internet can offer. You can ask for help for an immediate reply, you can promote good governance or preserve the environment using its many features, and the p reacher can even preach worldwide using the Web; we can even protect ourselves by being anonymous. But the criminal too can do his/her thing without being known. How is it possible to be anonymous on the Internet? Let’s start with this revolutionary technology – how it all started? The Internet’s identity is reproduced by a mix of fandom community, commerce and business, linked by technologies that are both private and publicly owned and variously regulated. The Internet came into existence as the result of numerous factors, accidents, passions, collisions, and tensions; these tensions are between economic and regulatory factors and communicative practices (Lister et al 163). It is possible to regulate anonymity on the Internet. Internet experts say that in theory, it is not really that impossible to remain anonymous because an Internet user can almost always be identified by the IP number and can be traced back through the ISP (Internet Service Provider) to det ermine his/or her identity (Lambert 8).