the glass house: anonymity vs. transparency on the internet
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CSJournalism Digital Communication specialists Noah Echols and Clay Duda presentation about transparency vs. anonymity on the Internet at Geekend 2011 in Savannah, Ga. Novemeber 12, 2011. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, argues for complete transparency (thus accountability) on the Internet. Christopher "Moot" Poole, founder of the image message board 4Chan, argues for the anonymity and the freedom it brings. Both perspectives affect how we interact and communicate online, and increasingly within the world around us as our culture becomes more and more tech-saturated. In this presentation Echols and Duda examine each arguments and the respective founder's real-world actions within the historical context of communication and interpersonal studies. How has context collapse reshaped the way you communicate? Are you aware of the shift?TRANSCRIPT
“It is probably no mere historical accident that the word person, in it’s first meaning, is a mask. It is rather a recognition of the fact that everyone is always and everywhere, more or less consciously, playing a role … it is in these roles that we know each other; it is in these roles that we know ourselves.”
-Erving Goffman
Clay Duda Digital Media Specialist
@clayduda
Noah Echols Digital Media Manager
@nvechols
The Glass House: Zuckerberg’s Vision for Transparency
Shout it!
Erving Goffman (1959)
“Information about the individual helps to define the situation, enabling others to know in advance what he will expect of them and what they may expect of him. Informed in these ways, the others will know how best to actin order to call forth a desired response from him.”
Looking at:
• Context Collapse
• Mark Zuckerberg vs. Christopher Poole
• Specific implementation of differing ideals
• You decide
Context Collapse
What is Context Collapse?• In face-to-face interaction we make careful decisions
about how we will act and what we will say taking into account many factors that define the situation.
• Online it is nearly impossible to know who your audience will be at all times, making it difficult to control the interpretation of your message.
“The cost of failure is really highwhen you’re contributing as yourself.”
“You have one identity…Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.”
Opposing Ideals
Zuckerberg moves toward center
• Facebook introduces ‘List’ function– Control status updates, but nothing else.
Zuckerberg moves toward center
Poole moves toward center
• 4Chan adds e-mail field to deter illegal activity– Still very easy to bypass
Poole moves toward center
Zuckerberg moves back to extreme
• Facebook adds frictionless sharing– Seamless sharing from around the web
Zuckerberg moves back to extreme
Poole moves in more toward center
• Poole launches Canv.as, adds Facebook connect to verify users– Outward appearance remains anonymous
Poole moves in more toward center
“we shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.”
-Marshall McLuhan
“tool”
Q: So, in what ways do you seeour tools shaping us as individualsand as a society?
Q: How many of you use toolsto make you anonymous online on a regular basis?
Q: What about mobile andgeo-location? What are its implications on privacy?
Q: Which is better for society:transparency or anonymity?
