Can someone who uses the "anonymous" facility please explain why?

Question

We nearly all use online handles that conceal our street identity, so as far as I can see the only reason people would go by "Anonymous" is that they are not prepared to be judged by their answers on here as a whole.

For instance my answers show that I am an economic Thatcherite, but way to the left of the US mainstream in social politics. I support the UK attitude to armed citizens, I think the war on drugs has failed abjectly and was a stupid idea in the first place - did nobody learn anything from Prohibition? And so on. Read my answers and you know what I think.

All "Anonymous" does is prevent that. Why would this be a good thing? Anybody enlighten me?

Answer 1

I am on the Yahoo witness protection scheme so I use the anonymous facility so Zak doesn't find out where I live. I already rent out my shed to 56 Romanians.

Answer 2

What I hate about the feature is that since all the Anonymous icons look alike you have no way to know if you're blocked by ONE of them or not. On more than one occasion I've made the effort to put together a well thought out answer only to not have it posted because that particular Anonymous jerk had blocked me. It's more than a little frustrating and I've complained to Yahoo... for all the good it's done me. I'd prefer to know if I'm blocked so I don't bother.

Answer 3

Because there are those on here who like to block anyone who does not give the answer they want to hear, they treat the place as a comfort blanket and only like to get the "right type of answers." For example, you say you are Thatcherite, yet the chances are you want to hear arguements from Left wing people. Some do not, they deliberately block anyone who dares stand up to them.

Also there are some on here who like to stalk people, they go out of their way to report that person's answers. They admit to stating awake all night reporting spam so they can then be a top reporter and report the answers of anyone they do not like. It is a way of confusing them, to go anonymous.

I suppose as well if you ever wished to ask a more personal type of question in a topic such as "health" you can do so with out sharing your personal details with your network.

Answer 4

I like hiding my true identity... I guess that makes me a coward. I'm not bothered by it, if others are then that's their problem to deal with, not mine.

I mainly use the anonymous option to troll. One day I ask a question that makes me look like a criminal from russia, the next day I make out I'm someone retarded from the US, next day I make out I'm a benefit scrounger from England, the next day I like to answer questions in mental health section advising people in how to kill themselves properly and comfortably, the next day I feel like asking questions that will get people angry for my lack of conscience... The only sort of people I don't troll are young people under 18. I like to give them the right advise as if they were my children even though I'm not old enough to be their parent and I'm not a parent. How do I know they are under or over 18? They usually say it in their question.

Answer 5

I think all anonymous members should be automatically renamed 'Anonymous Coward' by the administrators. It's the default on some other websites (particularly gaming forums) so I don't see why Yahoo can't implement the same system.

Answer 6

It has its uses. If I answer a question under my own profile I get virtually no replies,yet if I were to go anonymous I get a normal average clutch of answers on the same question.I have tried that twice. Its sad really,but I prefer to be myself whatever so almost never use it.



I think anyone who uses a trolling flame baiting question intended to cause trouble is simply not worth a respectable user answering. Just move on.



EDIT I have understand from a senior user in the Answers category that Yahoo may be under some legal obligation to allow users to ask a question in secret.?

Answer 7

Beats me other than to go to the 'obvious' - cowards! FWIW it irritates me too. By all means protect yourself by withholding personal information, 'previous', but hiding behind Anon .... ? All you can do is not respond to question from people who do this.

Answer 8

everyone has the right to be anonymous

Answer 9

cuz we want you to feel the warmth when you feel the pain dude.



I'm sick in the head