They will say things they may not say in real life because of the consequences, so in that regard yes I would agree with that statement. However I also think that the internet removes a lot of context (just as being drunk does (your not articulate, your not thinking straight so their may be anger in your words lets say but their could also be other emotions their as well when sober that are not coming out while drunk, maybe the reason they are angry (because they give a damn or maybe they repressed it for so long that instead of dealing with it immediately and in a healthy way they buried it until they snapped but still like the person. Context matters)).
I mean I in real life joke around a lot. I don't online however because one, I'm not really looking to do so, and two (and a really big reason), is that its hard to transmit my humor through written word (body language and tone and how something is said matter a lot in humor and communication in general and all of that is lost in written form).
You also have the issue of disconnect. The fact is when you see a person you realize its real, they are really their and they are really feeling and so you are more likely to tailor your words, maybe say the same thing, or at least the spirit of it, but you will deliver the message differently because you become more aware that this is real person and not just words on a screen.
So yes and no, its complicated.
I think it makes them act up.
It removes the responsibility from what they do or say. It's difficult to take that out of real life situations, for most people. I would suspect a fair few of the people who do, end up spending some time inside.
Yes, I agree. That's a very good analogy you used. "Drunk words are sober thoughts" is very true also, and very similar to this situation.
But also, going anonymous is not the only thing that applies to this. Just being online period causes people to misbehave and say things they usually wouldn't in the "real world". However, all of those things are their true thoughts. They are just too afraid of the consequences of expressing those thoughts outside of the internet.
Even though someone is not using an anonymous account at that time, they are still anonymous because we don't use our real names or info on this site. Even though we reveal our username and possibly a profile pic instead of being an Anon, it's still true that no one knows who we are and we're behind a veil.
It sure can give them a sense of security/"advantage" to. Having the ability to hide behind a screen has caused many multiple issues - cyber bullying/harassment, fake identities/identity theft, scam mail/texts/calls... etc. Does it reveal how people would act all the time if they could, perhaps so.
Personally for me, I take it as an advantage to be fully transparent with myself on sites like this, asking questions I'd generally avoid asking in real life, speaking my mind more so or being more blunt - reason why - probably because I personally don't know anyone on here and don't have to physically face them. Therefore I can get honest opinions from a fresh perspective, and vise versa - I can be blunt and rash at times cause I don't know the person physically/personally.
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You should watch a special by Derren Brown where he creates a experimental show called "Remote Control". (I believe the episode is called "The Gameshow").
The premise is this: A live studio audience will be watching a live candid camera prank scenario. The setting is a bar and everyone in the bar is an actor except for one guy. During the course of the episode, at certain intervals the audience (all wearing masks) will use a remote to vote on what happens to the lad next. It is always a split choice between something good and something bad. The audience strongly agrees one way the entire time.
It's a great watch and should answer your question perfectly.
It depends on what you mean by 'misbehave'.
Common day practices are not necessarily morally correct. There are laws and practices that are not moral or right. All you have to do is look around the world and at history. People speaking out against certain things, are and were put to death.
Anonymity might enable the jerks of the world to speak their mind but it also gives many people a voice, that can't have one otherwise. Many in China, for example, use VPNs to voice their true feelings.
It also enables some to speak out against things that are unthinkable to talk about in present day Western systems. Questioning sexual natures of people is one example. In most western cultures it is set in stone, people are pretty much do anything sexual they want and that is no one else's business... but that fails to look at things that are people's business. Unwanted pregnancies is a great example, abortions and limits to abortions, etc etc.
I guess there is always a degree of the "suddenly permitted" at play which motivates them to engage in those behaviors.
Kind of how children of restrictive parents are the most likely ones to rebel and develop behavioral problems, or why prohibition usually yields worse results than liberal laws, or why men from the most conservative cultures tend to be the biggest creeps online.
That sudden lack of consequences to certain actions which are/used to be forbidden can motivate people to engage in those actions, by itself.
I think people get bolder when they're anonymous or if they're behind a screen.
I had a lot of men ogled me in college but they never spoke to me, but sure enough, once they graduated and were out of sight, quite of a few of them sent me unsolicited dick photos, sent me sexual text messages or asked for nudes. Why? I don't know. I really just did my homework in college and went to networking events and worked on campus. I did wear my workout clothing a lot since I was too lazy to change, though. ;)
I think a little bit of both sprinkled with greater numbers. There's strength in numbers and they know that. In real life they know they would have no support and their actions would have consequences, so they refrain from it. Even if you call out one's bullshit on here, there would be 10 others to jump in to defend the bullshit. This wouldn't happen in real life.
Neither, how people act when they are anonymous is just how people act when they’re anonymous. It doesn’t mean that they would act that way all the time if they could.
Even in the case of drunk actions and sober thoughts, that doesn’t mean those actions are the real you. The conscious choice to engage in in politeness has value in itself. Being drunk in that sense means they are not themselves when they are drunk.
Same with anonymity, people are different when anon. It doesn’t mean that’s their secret real self.
Anonymity is supposed to give people a safe space for them to voice out their opinions, their feelings or inner thoughts without being judged or threatened just because they have a differing or unpopular opinion.
However, as with everything else, some people will always take advantage of this and take the opportunity to bully and degrade others.
I would say its probably the other way around. We get reminded to act decently to others because we can empathize with them but the more anonymous they are the less we can relate to them and as such the more vicious and impersonal that allows us to be.
Being anonymous makes you fearless at least when it comes to posting here on gag. Being anonymous give you license to act like an asshole all the time and anonymous users on here do that relentlessly they are cowards hiding behind multiple layers of anonymity that make them immune they think to any criticism
Maybee but the same could be said in reverse where you see people misbehaving when they wouldn't normally when they are not anonymous like someone misbehaving for views or attention. We are survivors and will employ any number of strategies at any time so long as we feel it will give us the best odds of surviving and doing it more comfortably as we move up in the hierarchy of life
"Does anonymity encourage people to misbehave"
*Yes.
"Does it reveal how people would choose to act all the time if they could?"
*Some of the time. Being cruel without accountability.
**I go anonymous when I want to discuss something controversial or cringy.
I react to people the same way as I would across the table in person.
There are two sides of a coin...
Anonymity is for privacy reasons, obviously we know it all... And that's a feature for that use...
But some people use it as the other side of the coin... Not all, but some with devil in their heads may misuse this... It's all about statistics! If you introduce something for good, there will be few people who would find a hack with it, that's where we require plan B to deal with them... tools like reporting etc are there... :)
Neither. It allows them to say or do something they wouldn't otherwise be able to do. It's not necessarily how they would choose to be if society were to fall apart nor is it part of their actions specifically because of the masks everyone wears in day to day life.
I think a little of both. Most of the times anonymous posts are used to purposely attack people I'm a coward way with the excuse their words are their real selves, not their alter egos. I'm against anonymity. As I said once before, if you come to this site after help without being recognized, don't show your face and use a different username. Simple as that.
Pretty sure they do what they would if they could, I hope the apocalypse happens so nobody can hold me legally or morally accountable for canibalism, making rad bone decorated bases, committing vehicular manslaughter, stealing, using life targets for guns, all that fun stuff
Man that'd be good...
I can probably go live in some rich guy's house and drive a tank
It shows who they truly are as a person. They have no restriction, they don’t really have any true punishment other then a ban if they misbehave in a certain way, they don’t have to take responsibility over what they say. So in essence whatever they say IS who they are
probably the latter. cause how you behave when you don't fear consequences, that's who you really are. i think that's a tough pill for many people to swallow.
i think being drunk is different cause your brain is litterally intoxicated so i wouldn't trust what's coming out of a delirious brain. but a offensive and toxic person anonymous online is a toxic person for real, no matter how good they are at hiding that in their social circle.
I kind of think the answer is yes. Depending on the person, both of those could be true. For some, there is a sense of adventurousness in being mean or unkind without any repercussions. And for others, it's the only outlet for the unkindness already inside them. And then for some people, it's both
Social observation is a powerful control on behaviour. Despite what we like to think, we are rarely "good" for ethical reasons. Most of us will do what we think we can get away with (e. g. infidelity). Knowing that we are observed by a peer group can curb the worst excesses. Anonymity merely relaxes the controlling factors, enabling otherwise unacceptable behaviour.
How you would choose to act if you could. However people act on the internet is there true self.
If they need anonymity to misbehave then they aren't a really confident or outspoken person.
Hence examples, quiet kids who dont talk but when they are online they are very vocal
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