Online anonymity is somewhat of a tricky topic. While there are benefits to being anonymous online, ones that Gabriella Coleman, author of "Anonymity Online Serves Us All", points out (e.g. being able to talk about sensitive issues pertaining to medical or parental problems), it is very difficult to navigate through all of the online harassment one can receive due to the presence of anonymity. In Coleman's article, she states that having anonymity online is helpful, and by taking it away, it ruins everyone else's chances for those who actually need it.
In one of the comments in the next article "Women and Minorities as Targets" by Kristy Tillman, one comment wrote of their professor Harold Scheub and of his experiences with "hate speech". The writer tells of his journey of a linguist and how, at the start of it all, venomous and hateful words shouldn't be allowed anywhere and that there should be a zero tolerance for it, but as he reflected on his encounters, he admitted that there is almost a necessity for it. While yes "hate speech" is intolerable and at the very least annoying, but it is what can be used to fuel a fire of "better writing". The writer of this comment advocated hateful comments that trolls may leave, but only because it can be used to make you better and stronger.
When it dwindles down to it, ridding the world of hate speech or online anonymity wouldn't really solve the problem at all. This "solution" would most likely just receive more complaints than praises, but if we really want to be able to have complete "freedom of speech" then we should begin to force ourselves to use the platforms set in place that can contain the situation for us (so using the flag, block, and report features on any given website), and be able to "take a hit". Once we have done all we can to rid ourselves of the threat, then we should be able to "fight back" by writing a more well-written, powerful, and all around greater statement in response.
Hey Jennafer! I liked the point you brought up about hate speech existing as constructive criticism, or at least it is to people with a certain optimistic outlook on these type of things. Sometimes it is helpful to get hate comments to prevent you from continuing something that shouldn't be. I mean, there is the saying that haters are the best motivators.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I appreciate people that are willing to risk being brutally honest even if their intention is spiteful. After feeling bad about it, I usually realize that at times they are right and when they arent, I laugh about it. I'm not saying that people should continue to harass people online, but I agree that it has positive outcomes for those who are strong enough to accept other people's opinions, even if they have completely opposite views.
You have a point that anonymity is okay for certain things like those anonymous hackers that are trying to crash Isis's, but it can also be a bad thing. Some people just use it to verbally abuse people because they don't have the guts to say it face to face. Although, I believe that anonymity shouldn't be allowed but, there are certain cases that it can help. Bringing back the subject on Isis, I believe that it is a good strategy to bring Isis down. I know some people are saying that they should stop because it will only make them angry, but it can also save us all. In this case anonymity helps us instead of bringing people down.
ReplyDeleteThere are its pro and cons. People just need to be responsible while using anonymity.