The first thing we see when we create any social media account is a box asking for our name, the degree of authenticity that we use to fill out these personal details determines how we interact on the platform. And perhaps, it is better that we don’t fill it in with our full names, but instead opt for a pseudonym. Contrary to popular belief, using a false name online can open up a variety of opportunities to reveal your true self.
After watching a conversation as part of my university course content I was intrigued to find my views on online identity were almost mirrored by the creator of controversial social media platform, 4chan. Christopher Poole, outlines in several interviews that being anonymous, or pseudonymous on the internet allows you to reveal yourself in a“completely unvarnished, unfiltered, raw way.”
Now this of course can lead to some very large scale consequences as some users may see this as an opportunity to spread harmful and degrading content. This has been seen time and time again, and 4chan is now infamous for its uncensored and unfavourable content. A site where trolls run wild and there is no justice for any wrongdoings. However, if we can see beyond the instances of bullying and defamation we open up a world of possibility.
Not supplying genuine personal information online can allow you to explore yourself and articulate your opinions in a very honest way. It means that you can acknowledge and express openly all facets of yourself and engage with all of the discussions you would like to without any inhibitions. This is a huge benefit that shouldn’t be taken for granted as it means that the internet can be tailored to suit your needs at any time, you can log into twitter as your professional self to engage with one form of conversation and fulfill one side of yourself; but blog under a pseudonym and verbalise perhaps unconventional or controversial views and discuss these in a way that promotes personal growth and positive debate. We all speak to our parents differently to how we speak to our friends, so it makes perfect sense that we apply these social norms online, and not using your true identity means that in a world where everything is traceable, you are relatively private in your personal online life. Using a false name online does not mean you are being insincere, rather it allows the opposite.
To put this into an understandable context, being LGBTQ+ can have huge implications on your life, your opportunities, despite popular belief, can change once this detail about yourself becomes public. So for a professional in any field it may be beneficial for their career to keep their involvement in the LGBTQ+ community hidden from employers and co-workers. In this case using a pseudonym online would allow this person to express all aspects of themselves to appropriate audiences, they would be free to engage in LGBTQ+ community pages and reveal details and experiences online that under their professional name may cause harm to their career path. That is not saying the individual is not being ‘authentic’ in either one of their online profiles but instead they are embracing and exposing different facets of themselves in ways that incite confidence and openness.
II never thought I’d agree with anything 4chan related, before looking into the concept of the platform I was convinced that it was highly important to be identifiable online. However, upon further consideration and some thought I’ve come to realise that perhaps being unidentifiable is more authentic and true to yourself than placing your real name next to your real profile picture on an online account.
Ellen Emary 