Glossary of Computer Science and Engineering Part 10 - Anonimity and the Internet | HackTHatCORE

Anonimity and the internet

Anonymity, or the ability to communicate without disclos- ing a verifiable identity, is a consequence of the way most Internet-based e-mail, chat, or news services were designed (see e - mail , chat , texting and instant messaging , and netnews and newgroups ). This does not mean that mes- sages do not have names attached. Rather, the names can be arbitrarily chosen or pseudonymous, whether reflecting development of an online persona or the desire to avoid having to take responsibility for unwanted communications.

Advantages

If a person uses a fixed Internet address (see tcp / ip ), it may be possible to eventually discover the person’s location and even identity. However, messages can be sent through anon- ymous remailing services where the originating address is removed. Web browsing can also be done “at arm’s length” through a proxy server. Such means of anonymity can argu- ably serve important values, such as allowing persons living under repressive governments (or who belong to minority groups) to express themselves more freely precisely because they cannot be identified. However, such techniques require some sophistication on the part of the user. With ordinary users using their service provider accounts directly, gov- ernments (notably China) have simply demanded that the user’s identity be turned over when a crime is alleged. Pseudonymity (the ability to choose names separate from one’s primary identity) in such venues as chat rooms or online games can also allow people to experiment with different identities or roles, perhaps getting a taste of how members of a different gender or ethnic group are perceived (see identity in the online world ). Anonymity can also help protect privacy, especially in commercial transactions. For example, purchasing some- thing with cash normally requires no disclosure of the pur- chaser’s identity, address, or other personal information. 17 Various systems can use secure encryption to create a cash equivalent in the online world that assures the merchant of valid payment without disclosing unnecessary informa- tion about the purchaser (see digital cash ). There are also facilities that allow for essentially anonymous Web brows- ing, preventing the aggregation or tracking of information.

Problems

The principal problem with anonymity is that it can allow the user to engage in socially undesirable or even criminal activity with less fear of being held accountable. The com- bination of anonymity (or the use of a pseudonym) and the lack of physical presence seems to embolden some people to engage in insult or “flaming,” where they might be inhib- ited in an ordinary social setting. A few services (notably The WELL) insist that the real identity of all participants be available even if postings use a pseudonym. Spam or deceptive e-mail (see phishing and spoof - ing ) takes advantage both of anonymity (making it hard for authorities to trace) and pseudonymity (the ability to disguise the site by mimicking a legitimate business). Anonymity makes downloading or sharing files easier (see file - sharing and P2P networks ), but also makes it harder for owners of videos, music, or other content to pursue copyright violations. Because of the prevalence of fraud and other criminal activity on the Internet, there have been calls to restrict the ability of online users to remain anonymous, and some nations such as South Korea have enacted legislation to that effect. However, civil lib- ertarians and privacy advocates believe that the impact on freedom and privacy outweighs any benefits for security and law enforcement. The database of Web-site registrants (called Whois) provides contact information intended to ensure that someone will be responsible for a given site and be will- ing to cooperate to fix technical or administrative prob- lems. At present, Whois information is publicly available. However, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is considering making the contact information available only to persons who can show a legitimate need.

References:

• Lessig, Lawrence. Code: Version 2.0. New York: Basic Books, 2006.
• Rogers, Michael. “Let’s See Some ID, Please: The End of Anonym- ity on the Internet?” The Practical Futurist (MSNBC), Decem- ber 13, 2005. Available online. URL: http://www.msnbc.msn. com/ID/10441443/. Accessed April 10, 2007.
• Wallace, Jonathan D. “Nameless in Cyberspace: Anonymity on the Internet.” CATO Institute Briefing Papers, no. 54, December 8, 1999. Available online. URL: http://www.cato.org/pubs/ briefs/bp54.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2007.