Bloggers Search for Anonymity
On Friday, 13 April, BBC published a report by David Reid about bloggers need for anonymity. Because in many countries of the world the government is trying to track and limit bloggers, he recommends a handbook published by the media rights group, Reporters Without Borders, called The Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents.
You can read the article by clicking on the blue type above. Reporters Without Borders offers the booklet as a free download when you click here.
Reporters Without Borders has it’s own website here where they summarize some of the main events of each day. They also keep a tally of the number of people worldwide who are imprisoned for blogging related activities.
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Great post.
Anonymity is a great issue with blogging. I can understand why some bloggers would want to remain anonymous, but there’s a certain “ick-factor” to it for me. It would be just as if I am assuming some other persona. An alter ego of some sort which defies the point of me becoming a blogger anyway.
Great issue though. Very debatable!
Kinan – I am sure you have read Orwell’s 1984. He’s always good for a re-read. Sometimes it seems to me that we are perilously close to that grim portrait of the future, and we go about our business oblivious to the dangers.
I have a sister who blogs (gasp) under her own name. I honor her for her courage; her blog is not of a personal nature, but deals with political and social issues. She has never been afraid of controversy, and holds her line fiercely when attacked.
My blog is primarily for myself – my Mom once saved every letter I wrote while living in a foreign country, and when I read over them years later, I was amazed at all I had forgotten. Thus, the daily trivial nature of my blog has a purpose – for me. In so doing, I have “met” some really great people, most of whom I think are exactly who they appear to be. . . and still, I prefer to error on the side of caution. Especially as a woman. But I think we all need to be cautious.
I’m happy in Europe I don’t need any anonymity! In Finland you can practically say anything you want to whom you want and you are safe, at least from the government! In Cyprus though I think they might try to do something about it, but not ever getting over board! I do feel bad for those who need it though!
Nora – Thanks be to God for freedom to think and to speak our thoughts!
It’s good that they have a version of the handbook in both Arabic and Persian.
I agree with your response to Kinan on anonymity completely. You want to open up to the world but not THAT much. There are psychos out there. Even without being that open you still get attacked. God knows what would happen if people found out who you were.
1001 – You are right. We don’t know what other people are thinking. Sometimes the most innocent statement can trigger a reaction we had no intention of triggering, and no idea that what we said contained a trigger. I believe that MOST of the people blogging are what they appear to be, but there are cyber-stalkers, and there are people who can become obsessed . . . and we all need to be careful, in my opinion.