Anonymity and Avatars

## **What Is Anonymity?**

Anonymity is defined as the state or quality of being anonymous.

## **When Did The Concept of Anonymity Arise?**

 Being anonymous on the internet has never fully given users the privacy they think they have. For all non technologically advanced people, a computing device is given an IP Address by default which makes each computing device unique. In a nutshell, full anonymity is limited and very hard to acquire.

## **Who Created The Concept of Anonymity?**

**“**Anonymity” is derived from the Greek word *anonymia*, meaning “without a name.” This term had been used originally to describe situations in which the person’s name is unknown. In simplest terms, it can be said as not using your own name.

## **Examples of Online Anonymity**

The largest internet hacking group in the world names themselves “Anonymous.” Anonymous has hacked Twitter to take down ISIS related accounts as well as shut down the
entire Church of Scientology site.

## **Future of Anonymity**

As seen in many cases of false identification, anonymity has changed the way individuals trust the internet. Terms such as *catfishing* have emerged due to numerous amounts of false identification crisis. With the creation of numerous false avatars, the metadata collected will continuously fill up servers.

## **Mathematics of Anonymity**

Anonymity is not an absolute - degree of anonymity one enjoys may vary. If Carol has a definite alibi at the time of perpetration, then we may deduce algorithms that it must have been either Alice or Bob who emptied the safe. That is, perpetrator probabilities for {Alice, Bob, Carol} now are ½, ½, and 0, respectively. Therefore, anonymity is reduced: we still do not know "who did it" (for us, real perpetrator remains anonymous), but our suspicions for Alice and Bob increase (⅓<½). Also, at this particular case, the perpetrator is not completely anonymous anymore, as both Alice and Bob now know "who did it".

## **What Are Avatars, What Are Their Roles?**

 In terms of computing, *Avatars* are the graphical representation of the use or the users alter ego or character. Avatars are often seen in online video games and other sites in order to preserve the user’s true identity. Game sites which use this concept of avatars is Runescape, Club Penguin, World of Warcraft, League of Legends and more. Among these game sites, some Social Media allow for anonymous users such as PlayStation Network (PSN). Avatars give users the ability to create a completely different character which can define or counter their true identity.

## **Who Created The Concept of Avatars?**

The term *Avatar* originates in Hinduism, which means “descent” of a deity in a terrestrial form. The concept of online avatars had been coined by Richard Garriott in 1985 for the game *Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar.* desired the player's character to be his earth self manifested into the virtual world. Garriott did this because he wanted the real player to be responsible for the character's in game actions due to the ethical parables he designed into the story. Today, avatars are widely used in video games and system bases such as PlayStation Network as well as Xbox live.

## **Benefits of Avatars**

As stated by Richard Garriott, “you could you be judged based on your character's actions.” Being an anonymous avatar, there is an infinite amount of protection and security in preserving true identification. As modern advances such as virtual reality become popular, live, life size avatars will enhance personal experiences. Other benefits of being anonymous online are:

·Can be anyone you want, looks and personality

·Nobody will know who you actually are

## **Negatives of Avatars**

Especially seen in the online dating community. False avatars and accounts have been made to seem like an actual person, but in reality, it is somebody completely different than the original user has portrayed. There is no law nor way to control and monitor these active false accounts. As the future comes, there is no definite way to protect those properly using avatars and anonymity for the correct purpose. Other negatives of being anonymous online are:

·Falsely used to attract/solicit innocent people

·Being anonymous causes false power and self proclaimed dominance

## References

Anonymity. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymity

Avatars (Computing). (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2016, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar\_(computing)

Catfishing. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfishing

Palmer, R. (2013, January 17). Where Does 'Catfish' Come From? Online Hoax Movie Inspired By Fisherman's Lore. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.ibtimes.com/where- does-catfish-come-online-hoax-movie-inspired-fishermans-lore-1022374

The definition of anonymity. (2010). Retrieved March 29, 2016, from          http://www.dictionary.com/browse/anonymity