User:Christine Bush/PseudonymPolicy: Difference between revisions

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imported>Christine Bush
(→‎Why Citizendium Needs to Modify Our Real Names Policy: Added point re: rationale for using real names conflicting with CZ mission.)
imported>Christine Bush
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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Author Representative suggests that our current real names policy<ref name="RealNamesPolicy">http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Why_Citizendium%3F#Real_names_are_better</ref> should be revised to allow for users to contribute using pseudonyms.<ref name="WIRED">http://www.wired.com/2014/04/why-we-need-online-alter-egos-now-more-than-ever/</ref>  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Author Representative suggests that our current real names policy<ref name="RealNamesPolicy">[[CZ:Why_Citizendium%3F#Real_names_are_better| Why Real Names Are Better]] by [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=CZ%3AWhy_Citizendium%3F&action=historysubmit&diff=100831916&oldid=100672412| Sebastian and Yamakuchi]</ref> should be revised to allow for users to contribute using pseudonyms.<ref name="WIRED">[http://www.wired.com/2014/04/why-we-need-online-alter-egos-now-more-than-ever/ Why We Need Online Alter Egos Now More Than Ever] by Judith S. Donath</ref>  


#The current policy is '''reactionary''', discouraging participation rather than inviting it, simply to avoid the opportunity costs of a policy of anonymity. There is general agreement that CZ needs more contributors, so it does not make sense to continue enforcing an unnecessarily restrictive policy when there is a well-established third option: pseudonymity.
#The current policy is '''reactionary''', defining itself as much by what it is not as what it is. This discourages participation rather than inviting it and serves to undermine that which it seeks to provide: a sensible, "mature" alternative. There is general agreement that CZ needs more contributors, so it does not make sense to continue enforcing an unnecessarily restrictive policy simply to avoid the opportunity costs of anonymity when '''there is a well-established third option: pseudonymity'''.
#A real names policy is '''indiscriminate''' and, in some cases, '''unfair'''.<ref name="skud">[http://infotrope.net/2011/07/22/ive-been-suspended-from-google-plus/ I've Been Suspended From Google+] by Skud.</ref> Only those who have the privilege of online participation under their real names will participate. This likely has a disproportionate impact on potential women contributors but also discriminates against reputable, established authors, entertainers, journalists, or bloggers using a pseudonym.
#A real names policy is '''indiscriminate''' and, in some cases, '''unfair'''.<ref name="skud">[http://infotrope.net/2011/07/22/ive-been-suspended-from-google-plus/ I've Been Suspended From Google+] by Skud.</ref> Only those who have the privilege of online participation under their real names will participate. This likely has a disproportionate impact on potential women contributors but also discriminates against reputable, established authors, entertainers, journalists, or bloggers using a pseudonym.
#'''There are benefits''' to using pseudonyms, including the ability to leverage established virtual identities on other platforms.<ref name="York">[http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/2011/08/why-the-nym-wars-matter-preserving-pseudonymity-on-an-open-internet.html Why The Nym Wars Matter] by Dan York</ref>
#'''There are benefits''' to using pseudonyms, including the ability to leverage established virtual identities on other platforms.<ref name="York">[http://www.disruptiveconversations.com/2011/08/why-the-nym-wars-matter-preserving-pseudonymity-on-an-open-internet.html Why The Nym Wars Matter] by Dan York</ref>

Revision as of 19:25, 7 September 2014

Why Citizendium Needs to Modify Our Real Names Policy

This is a DRAFT article, now under development. When finished, the author's intention is to invite consideration of it by the Citizendium Council.


> Caution: Bold Text Ahead. Dear Reader, please note that this article uses bold text. While its author acknowledges that in some contexts, bold text can be construed as "yelling", she also wishes to reclaim this useful text style for the purpose it served for centuries prior to the advent of online discussions, namely to draw the reader's attention to key phrases and concepts, thereby making content easier to scan.


     Author Representative suggests that our current real names policy[1] should be revised to allow for users to contribute using pseudonyms.[2]

  1. The current policy is reactionary, defining itself as much by what it is not as what it is. This discourages participation rather than inviting it and serves to undermine that which it seeks to provide: a sensible, "mature" alternative. There is general agreement that CZ needs more contributors, so it does not make sense to continue enforcing an unnecessarily restrictive policy simply to avoid the opportunity costs of anonymity when there is a well-established third option: pseudonymity.
  2. A real names policy is indiscriminate and, in some cases, unfair.[3] Only those who have the privilege of online participation under their real names will participate. This likely has a disproportionate impact on potential women contributors but also discriminates against reputable, established authors, entertainers, journalists, or bloggers using a pseudonym.
  3. There are benefits to using pseudonyms, including the ability to leverage established virtual identities on other platforms.[4]
  4. A pseudonymic policy does not prevent contributors from using their real names if they choose to do so.
  5. The main argument for enforcing a real names policy has thus far been because an organization such as Google or Facebook wants to become an authoritative identity provider to other sites. This is clearly not part of CZ's mission.
  6. The proposition that knowledge with a provenance is somehow more valuable is very difficult to defend.


  1. ↑ Why Real Names Are Better by Sebastian and Yamakuchi
  2. ↑ Why We Need Online Alter Egos Now More Than Ever by Judith S. Donath
  3. ↑ I've Been Suspended From Google+ by Skud.
  4. ↑ Why The Nym Wars Matter by Dan York


More Sources

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