Facebook Branches Out Into Uncharted Territory: Anonymity

You could call Facebook many things, but 'anonymous' isn't anywhere on the list. In fact, it's pretty much exactly the opposite. A social network is social. It's about connecting with others and sharing (or creating, as some would argue) your identity. It's as public as it gets.

And yet, Facebook is in the process of boldly going where it has never gone before: anonymity. The New York Times has reported that Facebook is building a stand-alone mobile app that “allows users to interact inside of it without having to use their real names.”

“The point,” the NYT continues, “is to allow Facebook users to use multiple pseudonyms to openly discuss the different things they talk about on the Internet; topics of discussion which they may not be comfortable connecting to their real names.”

Little is known about the new app so far. It's unclear if it will allow anonymous photo sharing, for example, or if it will interact in any way with Facebook's main site, or how existing friend connections will be treated. It's also unclear how Facebook plans to protect against spammers and others who could exploit the anonymous service. So far, Facebook's heavily publicized real-name policy has played a large role in its strategy to prohibit abuse, so it's interesting to see the site suddenly embrace anonymity.

It's bound to come with challenges. On one hand, anonymity could allow Facebook users to be more vulnerable and form deeper connections (which is the ultimate goal of a social network, after all) than ever before. However, anonymity could instead mean never trusting what anyone says or who anyone says they are. The Internet is a notoriously harsh place, and many have attributed that harshness to anonymous usernames.

When real names are used, people are held accountable for their comments and actions. Civil discussions can occur, even around controversial subjects, because reputations are at stake. Without that in place, Facebook could see an increase in bullying, sexism, racism, homophobia, violence, and other undesirable behavior.

But there's also an argument to be made in the other direction. Perhaps not requiring users to identify themselves will make them feel more comfortable expressing controversial or unpopular opinions, or participating in conversations around sensitive or personal topics. Anonymity could be the key to more vulnerable sharing but more disruption, while authentic identity could decrease abuse while also decreasing discussion.

Facebook hopes its anonymous app can combine the best of both possibilities. They're better equipped than most to make that happen, but it won't be an easy road.

For more on this popular social network and how to use it to find dates you can read our Facebook review.