This week’s discussions were around netiquette, citizenship vs. digital citizenship, and anonymity, among other topics. Personally, my thoughts around anonymity have changed the most throughout the week. I now see the topic with a much wider lense, but I’m much further from an answer about what is right. Early in the week, I posted that I agreed with the Mark Zuckerberg quote, “having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity” (Zimmer, 2010). I still feel like this can be accurate, but it isn’t as black and white as I originally posted.
As a teacher, I have created a Twitter account that I use primarily for work. I share some personal things, but overall, the intention of the account is to post content that other educators will find helpful or interesting. I encourage teachers to reach out to me there so I can offer assistance and resources. I act and interact on my Twitter account as I do in the real world. This is my primary use of social media, but I do have a Facebook account that uses a pseudonym as a username. I rarely post on Facebook, but it is always about more personal events and intended for family and friends. I think (at least most people I know) are using Facebook as a closed-off space for their friends and family. The privacy settings on this platform are more conducive to sharing to a smaller audience, and that is how people like it. When I post to Twitter, I know that it is wide open and available for anyone in the world to see and share. In fact, when I Google my own name, the top site that comes up is Twitter. This means that what I share isn’t even restricted to Twitter users, it is literally searchable for anyone online.
The TEDtalk from Christopher Poole made some interesting points that I will continue to dig more into. In his talk, Poole explains how social media sites where we use our own identity encourage us to sacrifice our privacy (TED, 2010). He believes that there are benefits to being anonymous online and to be able to say whatever you want without it being linked to you in the real world.
In the Q&A at the end of Poole’s talk, he says something that I continue to disagree with. Poole said, “Saying whatever you like is powerful; doing whatever you like is crossing a line.” This sends a dangerous message to our kids that are learning to navigate social situations and their own citizenship. Free speech is vital, but Poole implies that there is a polarized distinction between saying terrible things and doing terrible things. Anyone that has ever been bullied online knows that this certainly can’t always be true. As teachers of citizenship, I believe that our students need to know and respect the power of their words, and when they speak or type those thoughts, that IS an action. Words and actions are not as separate as Poole suggests.
References:
TED (June 2, 2010)., The case for anonymity online | Christopher “moot” Poole . YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_1UEAGCo30
Zimmer, M. (2010). Facebook’s Zuckerberg: “Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.” Retrieved from: https://www.michaelzimmer.org/2010/05/14/facebooks-zuckerberg-having-two-identities-for-yourself-is-an-example-of-a-lack-of-integrity/#:~:text=that%20last%20part%3A-,%E2%80%9CHaving%20two%20identities%20for%20yourself%20is%20an,of%20a%20lack%20of%20integrity.%E2%80%9D&text=Individuals%20are%20constantly%20managing%20and,switching%20between%20identities%20and%20persona.
Jeff Hennigar 