Anonymous Blogging
We’ve had our arguments in the Delaware blogosphere about anonymous blogging, sometimes with outings, sometimes not. But at the end of it all, I believe we’ve agreed to disagree.
Not so in Alaska.
Apparently an Alaska State Representative took it upon himself to out the creative force behind Mudflats. Shouldn’t a state representative have more to do than out a blogger? As Alaska Dispatch points out that authors have used pen names or aliases for hundreds of years. Female writers have used pen names for a long time so that male-dominated society would take their writing seriously. Eric Blair used a pen name as well as Chloe Wofford, Howard O’Brien and David Cornwell.
Pen names on the internet are here to stay and as Progressive Alaska points out, this yellow-bellied state rep might have broken several laws.
Tags: Delaware, Delaware Blogosphere
It takes balls to be the douchebag to out someone that uses an alias. Small, girley, shriveled balls.
I think the only time…ONLY time, is when the alias is libelling/slandering (in the legal sense). Everyone has a right to know their attacker. However, despite the urge to “out” that person, it should be done properly, in court.
Of course, we saw how that DIDN’T work for Patrick Cahill, until public outcry made people think better about it and Mark Schaeffer eventually pushed his step-daughter upon his own sword. OK, fine, she turned herself in as the anony blogger that horribly defamed Cahill.
There is a special place in hell, I think, for people who work at “outing” pseudonymous writers or who steal writing identities. That kind of outing or stealing is just bullying — thinking that if the world knows who you are you will stop being an advocate for your POV. I remember when Sully was getting his panties in a bunch because Atrios would not use his real name.
And while people who use their names don’t often get this, lots of folks use a pseud to protect their employment. There ARE employers out there (and they are increasing) who are screening your internet presence — even that outside of work presence. I don’t entirely get this, myself, but there are people losing jobs or not being asked back for interviews because of what an employer sees on an internet check. Other people work for the Government or some other employer where they couldn’t comment on certain political activity without drawing unneeded attention.
I hope the State Rep who outed Mudflats faces some legal action for doing this on the state’s dime.
What is the reasonable expectation of privacy on the internet? I agree that one shouldn’t purposely “out” an anonymous/pseudonymous blogger but blogs also have a social aspect which makes it hard to completely hide your identity. An enterprising person can find out who’s who pretty quickly, I think.
I agree, though, that’s it’s complete douchenozzlery for the powerful (media, politician) to publicly “out” a blogger from their huge platform.
you KNOW he never will. it is just like how right wing nut jobs “innocently” send out addresses of abortion doctors. they do this under the guise of “right to know” funny how THEY are so protective of their privacy. being offered up for violence from right wing ass nuts is something left wing bloggers must face. be safe and never back down.
Seriously, though, if the alias is defaming the subject, predicated on all lies, then all bets are off…goto my #2 comment (not #2 with Jason’s Dharma/Lost toilet paper, either).