Something I've commonly seen mentioned in online conversations is the
"Greater Internet Anonymity Theory" which suggests that
I think the whole
"anonymity" part is overrated. I've seen people defend asshole-ish behavior by stating something
like "oh, it's just the Internet" like people suddenly turn into
assholes when they're on-line but act normally otherwise.
With the rise of social media sites, I think that's largely untrue. Google switched the comments section of YouTube to Google+, and I've seen no change in quality even though many people now post behind their real names. Same thing with Facebook - there are an unbelievable number of assholes on Facebook. Same thing with dating sites, too. I think the real issue is not that we're anonymous, it's that people can act out without ever really having to meet the other person face to face.
"Normal Person +
Anonymity + Audience = Total Assholes."
With the rise of social media sites, I think that's largely untrue. Google switched the comments section of YouTube to Google+, and I've seen no change in quality even though many people now post behind their real names. Same thing with Facebook - there are an unbelievable number of assholes on Facebook. Same thing with dating sites, too. I think the real issue is not that we're anonymous, it's that people can act out without ever really having to meet the other person face to face.
You're maybe right ...
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