Guests Jonathan Hirshon, Peter Steiner, Kaamran Hafeez, Alison Macrina, and Morgan Taylor discuss the value of anonymity on the internet, maintaining privacy, the evolution of memes and digital anonymity, and what lies beneath the searchable web.
Anonymity online can provide a sense of freedom and enable individuals to express their thoughts and emotions without fear of judgment or repercussion.
Preserving anonymity is important, even if complete invisibility on the internet is unattainable, as it allows individuals to protect their identity and maintain control over their online presence.
Deep dives
TBH app: Anonymity and spreading positivity
The podcast episode explores an app called TBH, which allows high school teens to answer polling questions about each other anonymously. This helps minimize face-to-face anxiety and allows for the spread of positivity without fear of judgment. The app has gained popularity among teenagers and has been bought by Facebook.
Anonymity and the desire for a secret identity
The episode discusses the value of anonymity online, citing examples of individuals who choose to remain anonymous to protect their identity. It highlights the case of Jonathan Hirschon, who managed to keep his face off the internet for 20 years through creative tagging of various images. It emphasizes the importance of preserving anonymity, even if complete invisibility is unattainable.
Finding freedom and expression through anonymity
The episode examines the story of a woman who created an anonymous Twitter account, known as 'so sad today,' as an outlet for her depression and anxiety. The anonymity allowed her to freely express her thoughts and emotions, leading to a significant following and the opportunity to publish books and columns. The woman reflects on the freedom and liberation of being anonymous and the challenges that arise when deciding to reveal her true identity.
On the Internet no one knows you’re a dog, as the old joke goes. But does anonymity truly exist on the web anymore? And when it’s taken from us, what else do we lose? So Sad Today talks about the value of anonymity for women and self-care. Jonathan Hirshon shares his personal battle to keep his face off the Internet. New Yorker cartoonists Peter Steiner and Kaamran Hafeez discuss the evolution of memes and digital anonymity, in dog years. And Alison Macrina and Morgan Taylor reveal what’s underneath the surface of the searchable web.
IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org.
The most famous cartoon in New Yorker history is about a dog on the Internet. Makes sense.
Cartoonist Kaamran Hafeez revisits the OG doggo meme, with an update for the post-privacy era. Check out his latest work here.
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