Dissociation Effects

In my last post, I explained what it means to be anonymous. An entire blog could be decided to how to be more anonymous online, so for now, I will skip that and dive straight into how people change their behavior online while they are interacting in ways that they perceive themselves to be anonymous to the general public.

With this perceived anonymity brings on different types of behaviors one would not exhibit in normal face-to-face interactions, such as the Online Disinhibition Effect.

The Online Disinhibition Effect

The Online Disinhibition Effect explains how we communicate digital without the benefit of face-to-face interactions. [1] This is the influences the feelings, needs and drive that a person has and the dissociation that comes with not having the person on the receiving end in front of you. This can manifest in both positive and negative ways. For most people this dissociation is minor and allows the person to feel more like their true self, while in others there is much larger gap. Take for example the bullies on news sites that attack each other and the authors of the article. YouTube is laced with references to the posters homosexuality in derogatory terms. Sexual deviants are allowed to run free on 4chan. Most of these people would suffer large repercussions in the real world if acted out publicly.
Even when speaking to people we know online, we cannot see their reaction to what we are saying. Emoticons have effects that trigger the same emotional responses as a genuine smiling face in front of us does; however, these can be presented falsely when hiding behind a screen.

In a recent case involving one of the more notorious of these trolls, Michael Brutsch,  we can not only see the impact the reality this behavior has on the individuals its directed toward, but also the repercussion that happen when anonymity is lifted and the individual responsible is exposed [2].


Despite this, there appears to be such a strong drive for individuals to act in an obscene fashion that they disregard common decency and forget about any possible legal action. One could guess that these individuals are so dissatisfied with their own lives and look to cause harm in others. It is possible that these people are just so restrained in their own lives and that when given the opportunity to exist in a world that has no perceived repercussions, they go a little wild. Regardless of the reasons, trolling and bullying appear to be a “new normal” among online personas.


References:

[1] Suler, J. (2004). The Online Disinhibition Effect.Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 7(3),

[2] Fitzpatrick, D., & Driffin, D. (2012, 10 19). Man behind 'Jailbait' posts exposed, loses job. Retrieved from
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/18/us/internet-troll-apology/

Anonymity Online

Communication has been a driving force for technology since before written history. The internet is no exception.

With advancements in technology comes the desire to communicate anonymously. While participating in activates such as blog comments, chat rooms, instant messaging and Twitter it give users the feeling of being anonymous and these users are free to feel as though they  can be their "true self" to express their opinions in a fashion that will not reflect on their local persona.

What is Anonymity?

Gary Marx defines anonymity as not being identifiable according to his seven dimensions of identity knowledge [1], which are:

1. Legal name
2. Locatabililty or the ability to reach a person on or offline
3. Pseudonyms that can be linked to legal name or locatability
4. Pseudonyms that cannot be linked to other forms of identity knowledge but can provide other clues
5. Pattern knowledge than can be revealing
6. Social categorization such as gender, ethnicity, religion, age, etc.
7. Symbols of eligibility/non-eligibility

Using this definition in conjunction with current events about anonymity, it can be said that there is no such thing as true anonymity on the internet.  Edward Snowden's recent whistle blowing on the NSA's monitoring practices has exposed exactly what kind of monitoring practices are not only implemented by our government, but what is possible by private organizations and individuals alike.[2]

How This Affects Communication

It has long been speculated that anonymity on the internet gives users the sense of security and separation that allows them to act in negative ways that they would not otherwise in face-to-face interaction.

In my next post I will cover in-dept how this applies to online interaction. 

References:

 [1] Marx, G. (1999). What's in a name? some reflections on the sociology of anonymity. The Information Society,15(2), 99112.

[2] The Editorial Board. (2014, Janurary 01). Edward snowden, whistle-blower. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/opinion/edward-snowden-whistle-blower.html

Changes in Online Communication

What This Blog is About

This blog is my way of explaining how emerging digital communication is changing the way we commutate. Today’s rules of grammar, speech, and vocabulary are rapidly morphing into a new language because of the use of platforms such as:

• Email
• Instant messaging/Chat
• Snapchat
• Video chat
• Social media

I will cover how these emerging digital communication platforms are changing these rules and interpersonal communication with the use of the multitude of different devices and mediums not available too far into the past, such as:

• Desktop computers
• Laptops
• Netbooks
• Tablet
• Mobile phones

I will delve into relevant works such as Internet, Society and Culture by Tim Jordan and others as well.

About the Topic

Growing up on the internet in the 1980s and 1990s I have witnessed the internet change from computer hobbyist to being an integral part of everyday life. Since I was a small child, I have both been involved in both small and large internet communities and have been fascinated in how people come together from different background and are able to connect to each other with a common interest.

Who am I?

I am a returning college student attending The University of Texas at Dallas considering a degree in Arts and Technology or Emerging Media and Communications.