Chapter Two. Misperceptions About Online Anonymity

One of the big attractions of the Internet for many people is the anonymity they believe it affords. They can go where they like, say what they like, even pretend to be anyone they like, and nobody will be the wiser. Unfortunately, that sense of anonymity and the security it provides is often false. You might believe you are anonymous when you post a message in a discussion forum, on a publicly accessible blog, in a chat room, or on a social networking site, but most people do a poor job of maintaining anonymity. As a result, all too many Internet users are operating under a false sense of security.

Remember that the ability to remain anonymous works two ways. Potential scam artists, criminals, or predators surfing the Internet also have the benefit of anonymity; however, unlike the average user, they are often very skilled at maintaining their anonymity and take great care to do so. They are frequently very skilled in creating false personalities that help them perpetrate whatever kind of crime they want to commit: conning users in a financial fraud, stealing identities, or targeting children.