NLC2010 Anonymity in online discussion forums - does it promote connections?

With thanks to the following wonderful members of flickr:

Kat.B.Photographer http://bit.ly/axhJxi

Anonymous9000

matthewmcvickar

Phil Gyford

UnmaskingPersona

ninniane

Kazi

Anonymity in online discussion forums

Does it promote connections?

Methods

Mike Johnson

Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies

Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd

http://twitter.com/agentjohnson

http://networkedlearning.blogspot.com

Themes

Networked Learning Conference 2010

Discussion & Conclusions

Experience of anonymity outwith the university

Elly: ...I was, I think it was um Greenpeace or something like that, I used to write on. And there was lots of vegetarians on there, and I was vegetarian, but I kind of advocated buying meat properly, and I got in real trouble(h) with everyone else on the [forum

Interviewer: [Right. They couldn't track you down and

Elly: yeah they couldn't come and burn my house or anything(h)

Awareness of online anonymity

Belinda: ...and there is a lot of... discussion amongst ourselves is, I bet that was so-and-so...

Interviewer: although you had probably read [anonymous messages without realising that

Denise: [I probably had, to be honest, yeah, I probably just skimmed, I just looked at the message [and that was it

Interviewer: [and wondered how they did that

Denise: yeah

Anonymous poster identity guessing game

Elly: I felt quite threatened by it

Approving online anonymity

Choosing

to use online anonymity or not

Belinda: ...and I know that online you've said you've got to say, you've got to, adhere to a certain... you know, not be offensive, and things like that, well, sometimes... you want to be offensive ((laughs))...

Imogen: personally i would like to see names on here because as we are going to be professionals, i think it is a good way of practising dealing with individual and group issues, conflict etc in a professional way

Disaproving online anonymity

Interviewer: so when you [say, earlier

Gemma: [I don't know

Interviewer: that you default to anonymous

Gemma: uhum

Interviewer: but you wouldn't have posted any of those anonymously

Gemma: um

Interviewer: in blackboard now

Gemma: it's hard to know, I think, when I read them like that in black and white, I can't see any reason why you wouldn't [ just

Interviewer: [ yeah

Gemma: put your name by it, but when it came to me doing it, I'd probably just be very cautious and do it anonymously [ anyway

Interviewer: [ right

Gemma: um. But for no apparent reason when you actually read those(h) examples, if you see what I mean

Grappling

with

anonymity

Ferne: I’d, I just, I, well I’ve already said it, I can see how it would help some people, that would perhaps be too nervous, or to embarrassed, but at the same time I can see the potential of the trouble

Allow or DENY!

Denise: So, I think you just have to, just respect people, and just say, ' Right, okay, will give you the option, and if some people want to use it to have a good bitch about people, then they can, but other people can use it, and, I think most people know how to skip things, don't they?

Elly: so you'd still track that person, you know, you could bar them if you wanted to

Interviewer: Right

Elly: but they don't have to use their names, so it could be, you know, anything, Fluffy, whatever, you [know

Alternatives or strategies to mitigate threats

Authenticity

Sensitivity

Clarity