The notion of self and its relation to community is one that must be taken up critically … Given, for instance, the mutability of identity in Usenet, where it is possible to post messages anonymously and pseudonomously, how are we to negotiate social relations that, at least in the realm of face-to-face communication, were fixed by recognition of identity?
Predictor: Jones, Steven G.
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “CyberSociety: Computer-Mediated Communication and Community,” Steve Jones writes: ”The notion of self and its relation to community is one that must be taken up critically … Given, for instance, the mutability of identity in Usenet, where it is possible to post messages anonymously and pseudonomously, how are we to negotiate social relations that, at least in the realm of face-to-face communication, were fixed by recognition of identity? One answer to that question comes in the form of the previously mentioned constraints on CMC users. The developers of Eudora, an electronic- mail software package, for instance, in early versions made it possible to send messages adopting anyone else’s name by using their e-mail address. Later versions of Eudora circumvented this software loophole by appending the word ‘unverified’ in parentheses next to the e-mail address of the sender if the message originated without a password. Still other means of fixing identity and conduct have developed over time.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Anonymity/Personal Identity
Name of publication: CyberSociety: Computer-Mediated Communication and Community
Title, headline, chapter name: Introduction
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://info.comm.uic.edu/jones/cybersoc.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney