According to a research done by GlobalWebIndex, 56% of internet users feel unsafe globally because of the fact that their anonymity is not guaranteed, and 26% of the users make use of various privacy tools like history erasers to stay hidden. This shows the growing awareness of the people towards the dangers of internet, and their desire to not expose themselves to the ever-existing cyber- predators, constantly waiting to prey upon unsuspecting users who have foolishly let their personal information fall into the hands of abusers.
Such researches signal the beginning of a new era. Now has come a time when information can be counted as power, and the significance of knowledge is emphasized more than ever. Information is regarded as resources that are to be protected by all means, to be kept away from negative consequences. Internet anonymity came to light in such situation. Driven by the users' secrecy and the lawmakers' constant lust for absolute control, a battle for anonymity on the internet is raging on more intensely than ever, with both sides each presenting a perfectly logical and feasible argument for the matter.
Then, what is anonymity exactly in the first place? Anonymity on the internet refers to hiding oneself comepletely from the others when surfing the net or posting comments on websites. This includes not revealing ones' real names when writing on the web, or not being obliged to provide our private information, such as social security numbers and phone numbers for the supposed purpose of self-verification. The issue of anonymity has been discussed since the popularization of the internet, and with an ever-increasing number of internet crimes, internet anonymity has been regarded as what is referred to as 'a double-edged sword', able to benefit others but also causing harm on the other side of the perspective. With the debate still raging on about this matter, incidents that continuously remind us of the importance of having a firm stand on the matter of internet anonymity never ceases, and make us wonder in fear when the above mentioned matter will eventually be resolved. One famous example of this incident would be the international cyber attacks launched upon prominent websites by a group of international hackers who named themselves the 'anonymous'. With their attacks, countless government facilities and foundations have been left powerless. This shows us how chaos in cyberspace can strike fear into our minds and immobilize us in an instant, and also the significance in which the problem of internet anonymity should be resolved ,as well as a need for a implmentation of a suitable solution, in order for the world to enjoy stable lives on the internet.
Perhaps the first task to finding out how anonmity can interact in both physical world and the internet world be to correctly identify the characteristics of the cyber-world that differentiates it from the actual world of physical beings. The internet is not made up of things we could touch; it is constantly ever-shifting, and is never ruled by any physical laws that make our physical world true to touch and stimulus. Nothing is vritually impossible in the internet. As long as one has the correct knowledge and skills to alter the cyberspace, he can make absolute advantage of the internet, and manipulate the cyber-world to do his biddings. However, this does not apply to all of us who make use of the internet. Only a minority of the users are equipped with skills and capability needed to turn the internet world to their advantage. This leaves the rest, a myriad of internet users who have just enough skills to suf the web, purchase items through online shopping malls and transfer money into bank account through the web, completely vulnerable to various risks and threats that loom in the darkness of the intenet world, waiting to feed on unsuspecting users who are not capable of dealing with whatever challenges they face on the internet. In other words, the internet is just as large as, perhaps more vast and greater than the real world, but unlike in the latter, users of the former do not have a complete control of their surroundings, and their safety is also not guarnanteed. To them, internet is just like being out in the wild, full of surprises. Thus, a device that can somewhat help the users protect their information to some extent should be put up. Protecting the anonymity of the users can play this role, and ensure safer internet lives.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that:
regards to abiding to the basic rights of the internet users. As mentioned in the Declaration above, everyone is bestowed upon rights to freely exchange their thoughts and ideas. This right is guaranteed from their birth, and is not to be infringed upon till their death. This right also applies in the cyberspace, and now that the internet has become one of the most active grounds for exchanging opinions, the importance of granting freedom of seech to all the users is now strongly emphasized.
One most typical, as well as effective, way of ensuring such rights on the internet is by allowing people to be anonymous on the web. With their names and personal information revealed disclosed, people will feel intimidated and fear that their ideas will be monitored, afraid that any opinions that are against the current trend might be traced back to them through their exposed information. This prevents the healthy flow o information. It is a well known fact that democracy depends on the citizens' active particpation into formation of national policies through discussions. With their identities exposed on the internet, no more conversation shall occur, and democracy might fall. It has also been historically proven that the goverment's call for more power and absolute control always began with their efforts to obstruct public opinions. The Soviet Union established perfect control through prohibiting discussions among people and promoting propogandas. A more recent example would be the NSA's attempt to have a constant look at all ongoing electronic communication under excuse of sorting out terrorists. By having people stay anonymous, internet usage shall increase, and active communication will be achieved.
In 2013 June, a shocking news that over 23 million pieces of personal information was leaked into the hands of Chinese hackers rocked the entire Korean Peninsula. These personal information was traced back to 40 of the most prominent websites in Korea, including online bookstores and search engines. Only a year has passed since the implementation of the Personal Information Protection Law by the Korean congress, and the ineffectiveness of such legisaltions was again brought to light. This shows the possible prediction of what tradegy that might occur to billions of internet users worldwide. Without a proper measure to conceal their information, their secrets and private information is set to far higher risks of being commercialized on the market, put on sale secretly for others to freely view and abuse of whatever criminal activities they have in mind. Implementing internet anonymity can help the users protect their secrets off the predators on the web, and prevent anymore information leaks that can be used to create fake IDs, used in various scams, and falsely set up into taking all the blames for something we have never commmitted. Internet anonymity is significant in such a way, and can be a valuable asset in protecting the users.
Some many people do not agree with my opinion that internet anonymity should be protected. They presemt many valid arguments, each backed up by logical evidences. The first argument given by those who oppose internet anonymity is that with anonymity on the internet, more cyberbullying and crimes shall occur. The number of hateful comments will also increase, as people will hide behind the privilege of anonymity for negative purposes. This is well depicted in the case of Nicole Catsouras, an 18-year-old died in a car crash in California in 2006. After the death of Nicole, photographs of her badly disfigured body were posted on the Internet, where anonymous trolls set up fake tribute pages and in some cases e-mailed the photos to her parents with subject lines like “Hey, Daddy, I’m still alive.” Another study conducted by the assistant prfessor at university of Houston also outlined the relationship between the personalities of the 'Internet Trolls' and interent users who prefer to stay anonymous. According to the survey, those who try to conceal themselves on the web is more antisocial, as well as aggressive. These internet trolls abuse their anonymous stand and ppon others, hurting them with hateful comments. The same goes for cyberbullying too. However, what that has to be kept in mind is that those who prey upon others in cyberspace is only a minority, a peck of dust when copared to other responsible, honest internet users who are ready to have what it takes to use the internet freely. A greater good should be strived for, and it is illogical to have all the users give up their rights for anonymity. The problem of cyberbullying that comes with internet anonymity can be attributed to the problem in the social infrastructure and fallacies in the individuals, and alternative solutions can be implemented.
It might seem as if the issue of internet anonymity is simply a matter of another device to be implemented in the internet world, and that not much might change in the event of when anonymity f the users are finally protected on the internet. The truth is, nothing can be further from the truth. Anonymity on the internet is a problem of great significance that will surely affect millions of people worldwide, perhaps billions. With internet anonymity finally protected all over the world, the crime rate, committed both on-line and off-line, will decrease significantly with people's personal information no longer leaking out of control. Political situations shall also improve to a great extent, as people begin expressing their thoughts without fear of redemption or oppression. More creative ideas shall come to light, and another world of enlighenment and happiness can ensue. As the percentage internet usage increases by the second, anonymity will later turn out to be a key measure for protecting people's freedom. Just as the French Revolution that sparked the start of democracy in 1789, implementation of the internet anonymity will be another giant leap in the internet world, and perhaps act as another revoluton, that will this time free all users from intimidation and propoganda in cyberspace.
Perhaps the first task to finding out how anonmity can interact in both physical world and the internet world be to correctly identify the characteristics of the cyber-world that differentiates it from the actual world of physical beings. The internet is not made up of things we could touch; it is constantly ever-shifting, and is never ruled by any physical laws that make our physical world true to touch and stimulus. Nothing is vritually impossible in the internet. As long as one has the correct knowledge and skills to alter the cyberspace, he can make absolute advantage of the internet, and manipulate the cyber-world to do his biddings. However, this does not apply to all of us who make use of the internet. Only a minority of the users are equipped with skills and capability needed to turn the internet world to their advantage. This leaves the rest, a myriad of internet users who have just enough skills to suf the web, purchase items through online shopping malls and transfer money into bank account through the web, completely vulnerable to various risks and threats that loom in the darkness of the intenet world, waiting to feed on unsuspecting users who are not capable of dealing with whatever challenges they face on the internet. In other words, the internet is just as large as, perhaps more vast and greater than the real world, but unlike in the latter, users of the former do not have a complete control of their surroundings, and their safety is also not guarnanteed. To them, internet is just like being out in the wild, full of surprises. Thus, a device that can somewhat help the users protect their information to some extent should be put up. Protecting the anonymity of the users can play this role, and ensure safer internet lives.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.This is another example that shows why internet anonymity should be protected, in
regards to abiding to the basic rights of the internet users. As mentioned in the Declaration above, everyone is bestowed upon rights to freely exchange their thoughts and ideas. This right is guaranteed from their birth, and is not to be infringed upon till their death. This right also applies in the cyberspace, and now that the internet has become one of the most active grounds for exchanging opinions, the importance of granting freedom of seech to all the users is now strongly emphasized.
One most typical, as well as effective, way of ensuring such rights on the internet is by allowing people to be anonymous on the web. With their names and personal information revealed disclosed, people will feel intimidated and fear that their ideas will be monitored, afraid that any opinions that are against the current trend might be traced back to them through their exposed information. This prevents the healthy flow o information. It is a well known fact that democracy depends on the citizens' active particpation into formation of national policies through discussions. With their identities exposed on the internet, no more conversation shall occur, and democracy might fall. It has also been historically proven that the goverment's call for more power and absolute control always began with their efforts to obstruct public opinions. The Soviet Union established perfect control through prohibiting discussions among people and promoting propogandas. A more recent example would be the NSA's attempt to have a constant look at all ongoing electronic communication under excuse of sorting out terrorists. By having people stay anonymous, internet usage shall increase, and active communication will be achieved.
In 2013 June, a shocking news that over 23 million pieces of personal information was leaked into the hands of Chinese hackers rocked the entire Korean Peninsula. These personal information was traced back to 40 of the most prominent websites in Korea, including online bookstores and search engines. Only a year has passed since the implementation of the Personal Information Protection Law by the Korean congress, and the ineffectiveness of such legisaltions was again brought to light. This shows the possible prediction of what tradegy that might occur to billions of internet users worldwide. Without a proper measure to conceal their information, their secrets and private information is set to far higher risks of being commercialized on the market, put on sale secretly for others to freely view and abuse of whatever criminal activities they have in mind. Implementing internet anonymity can help the users protect their secrets off the predators on the web, and prevent anymore information leaks that can be used to create fake IDs, used in various scams, and falsely set up into taking all the blames for something we have never commmitted. Internet anonymity is significant in such a way, and can be a valuable asset in protecting the users.
Some many people do not agree with my opinion that internet anonymity should be protected. They presemt many valid arguments, each backed up by logical evidences. The first argument given by those who oppose internet anonymity is that with anonymity on the internet, more cyberbullying and crimes shall occur. The number of hateful comments will also increase, as people will hide behind the privilege of anonymity for negative purposes. This is well depicted in the case of Nicole Catsouras, an 18-year-old died in a car crash in California in 2006. After the death of Nicole, photographs of her badly disfigured body were posted on the Internet, where anonymous trolls set up fake tribute pages and in some cases e-mailed the photos to her parents with subject lines like “Hey, Daddy, I’m still alive.” Another study conducted by the assistant prfessor at university of Houston also outlined the relationship between the personalities of the 'Internet Trolls' and interent users who prefer to stay anonymous. According to the survey, those who try to conceal themselves on the web is more antisocial, as well as aggressive. These internet trolls abuse their anonymous stand and ppon others, hurting them with hateful comments. The same goes for cyberbullying too. However, what that has to be kept in mind is that those who prey upon others in cyberspace is only a minority, a peck of dust when copared to other responsible, honest internet users who are ready to have what it takes to use the internet freely. A greater good should be strived for, and it is illogical to have all the users give up their rights for anonymity. The problem of cyberbullying that comes with internet anonymity can be attributed to the problem in the social infrastructure and fallacies in the individuals, and alternative solutions can be implemented.
It might seem as if the issue of internet anonymity is simply a matter of another device to be implemented in the internet world, and that not much might change in the event of when anonymity f the users are finally protected on the internet. The truth is, nothing can be further from the truth. Anonymity on the internet is a problem of great significance that will surely affect millions of people worldwide, perhaps billions. With internet anonymity finally protected all over the world, the crime rate, committed both on-line and off-line, will decrease significantly with people's personal information no longer leaking out of control. Political situations shall also improve to a great extent, as people begin expressing their thoughts without fear of redemption or oppression. More creative ideas shall come to light, and another world of enlighenment and happiness can ensue. As the percentage internet usage increases by the second, anonymity will later turn out to be a key measure for protecting people's freedom. Just as the French Revolution that sparked the start of democracy in 1789, implementation of the internet anonymity will be another giant leap in the internet world, and perhaps act as another revoluton, that will this time free all users from intimidation and propoganda in cyberspace.
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