I’ve written a bit here about what I believe to be one of the major cultural challenges of mainstreaming Web 2.0 culture. That would be the use of anonymous comments and nicknames. The discussions on both issues have been great, and have helped convince me that my position on this definitely shouldn’t be all or nothing.
This brings me to a conversation today that (conveniently!) supports my viewpoint that taking real-name ownership of one’s online identity is still the best general policy. See, the same way that anonymity can go way too far, so can transparency, or what some are calling “little brother.”
Do you want folks snapping pictures of you, tweeting about you, telling you what is and isn’t private? I don’t, so I pretty much tell you what you are going to get. And I put my name and face behind it. If I’m going to publicly criticize an idea or a person, I’m going to put my name on it.
The way I see it, taking personal responsibility means I’m going to moderate my behavior to the Golden Rule to some extent.
(And definitely I like how people are taking longstanding online nicknames on Twitter and adding real name accountability in their Twitter profiles.)
What do you think?
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2 responses to “Does Identity = Integrity?”
Adriel,
Pleased to meet you online!
I so totally agree with you and am glad to see this in print. I have no respect for our local little town newspaper because they moderate comments and only post one side of the issue and print comments from unnamed sources to boot. Talk about one-sided journalism! At least take ownership and as you say apply the Golden Rule to our communications. If you print a paper, permit both sides of the argument at the very least!
Another standard I am taking is relative to obscene language on my facebook page by other posters. I don’t want to look at it or propogate it. I even unfriended a ‘friend’ for an avetar with the F word. I am suggesting that we can clean up our own air space with some personal standards. Society has slipped way below what is permitted in my home and space!
[Note: There is a biblical challenge relative to the ‘sin of hearing’ which bothered me that an animal had to die if someone heard blasphemy in the OT. Do you think God holds us responsible for what we hear today? If so we are all in trouble!]
Didn’t mean to get preachy, but suffice it to say thanks for the post and I will share it with others too.
Blessings,
Sandie
http://scrosnoe.wordpress.com (personal)
http://r3publican.wordpress.com (political)
@scrosnoe on twitter/TCOT
I realize that being as open as I am, unless I specifically say, “please don’t tweet this” or “please don’t post that online” that I am fair game to the interwebs. I find new stuff that I said or did online all the time and that’s fine. What I am not fond of is facebook tagging me in pictures.
I do it and I accept if. But if I find a non-flattering picture of me, I am de-tagging my name from the picture.