In today’s society it is second nature for people to use the internet a main source of communication and expression. We talked in class about when people communicate through the internet they are more willing to open up and express themselves to other people. There are many different ways for people to express themselves through the internet anonymously or not. Personally I believe that using the internet anonymously is very dangerous. Yes, there are some benefits to disguising yourself behind a computer but I think there are more disadvantages.

Many people claim that using the internet anonymously helps them express themselves without being ridiculed and made fun of. I completely understand this concept but there comes a time when enough is enough. I believe the line is drawn when people stop acting like their selves. There is two ways this can happen. One way is the person gets so comfortable with hiding behind the computer that they start to feel more powerful than they do in real life. They can also get so comfortable and start to bullying others online. The other way is when someone starts acting like some they are not, basically identity theft.

Many times when people depend on the internet to express themselves it can take over their lives. Basically what is happening is the individual is living a dual life which is cool and all until they forget about real life. There is also a certain degree of courage that is gain when a person is hiding behind a computer screen. Individuals are more likely to say things they wouldn’t say in person. Most likely these things would be hurtful to other people. This can then lead to cases of cyber bullying that don’t always end well and can end up taking a life of an innocent victim. Unfortunately this happens more often than not.

When someone is hiding behind a computer screen they can also act like anyone they want. They can steal pictures from peoples profiles off of social media sites and use them to make a whole new profile. This is known as “Catfishing” someone. Now a days this more common than it has ever been. Since society is so judgmental now people don’t feel comfortable in their own skin so they use other peoples identities. Sadly this is not the way to go about it and the people that get catfished end up getting extremely hurt in the end. It can also lead to stalker like situations that can put the individual in jail.

All in all when someone hides behind a computer screen for too long things don’t always turn out great. These people need to know when it’s time to express themselves online and when it’s time to act in the real world.

Pros and Cons of Anonymity Online