Anonymous Everywhere Summary

This article shows how the visions and practices of doxing, to publish the private information of another without the consent of that individual usually with malicious intent to do harm to that individual, are becoming an increasing concern for online safety of private personal information (Dictionary.com, n.d.). It expands upon on the idea of anonymity online, where the identity of the person behind the computer is hidden. Internet users are drawn to seek anonymity. By being anonymous, the restrictions of social norms are lifted and this leads users, in most cases, to engage in rude language or illegal or harmful acts to individuals or even society as a whole. With their identity hidden, these people are able to perform such acts with few

She describes the rise of Anonymous in connection to the global phenomenon of political protests. Coleman particularly focuses on the role of anonymity in Tunisia where censorship is heavy and the repercussions of speaking out about the government were large. In Tunisia, her interviewees emphasize the power of Anonymous as a mass that virtually allows anyone to participate, even people from outside Tunisia. One of her interviewees, Amamou who had been detained and interrogated for five days by state security for his involvement in organizing a demonstration against web censorship, believes that the Anonymous mass played a large part in his release. Coleman notes, “Anonymous participants from Tokyo to Europe heard about his plight, leading to a flood of calls to the Tunisian government” (Coleman, 2014). Implicit in her essay, she reminds her audience that the Anonymous is largely uncontrollable. Since the Anonymous is largely a loose collective, with no defined leaders or official membership, joining the Anonymous is as easy as saying you’re in (Dewey, 2015). And, because the Anonymous is so loose and often associated with activism, of course non-hackers are drawn to anonymity as it allows their opinions to be shared freely with little to no