Anonymity

In the virtual realm, anonymity means that such bedrockvalues of librarianship as privacy, free speech, and intellectual freedomcoexist uneasily with the proliferation of fake news, sexist and racistsentiments, and repugnant ideologies.

As trusted guardians of knowledge,libraries and librarians can fill a growing need for reputable information andopen dialogue.

Macrina, founder and director of the Library Freedom Projectand a core contributor to the Tor Project, along with co-author Cooper of TheIntercept, discuss apps (Whisper, Secret) and forums (Reddit) that promoteanonymity as a central feature, even as so-called true anonymity remainselusive because of pervasive user data tracking.

They also examine howanonymous content has become valuable fodder for both news organizations andclickbait websites.

Will the rise of anonymity and the vulnerabilities itexposes, especially for governments and businesses, lead to a movement againstit? Or have our society and its technology passed the point of no return?Bringing issues and viewpoints from outside the profession into theconversation, this book will encourage libraries to think about anonymity andwhat it means for the future of our institutions.