The Not So Anonymous

Anyone who follows me on the message boards know I've used the tag line for some time of "Opinions are Fun, Especially Anonymous Ones." I will admit, that's my own back-hand to the idea of hiding behind a screen name. In this way, call me old school, but I tend toward the general rule of thumb used in the newspaper letters to the editor for opinions -- your name, your address and your home town. A real person had to make a real opinion.

Not so on the internet, and we've had to grow accustomed to the world of screen names. Look, I had a handle back in the 1970s when I used my CB, too.

One of my standing preaching points about public persons participating in the social media is you better go in as yourself and be transparent. Because sooner or later, you can be connected to your posts. There is no such thing as anonymous -- unless maybe you're Chloe O'Brian or Penelope Garcia.

Playing catchup on the road with podcasts, so apologies for referencing back a April 2 edition of On the Media in which the case of the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper outing one of its anonymous commentators as a local judge. Bob Garfield, the host, gives the Inspector Renault reaction that he was shocked to learn the editorial staff could have access to the email addresses used to register for comments. The P-D spokesperson replied yes, but we don't have that any more.

The editorial staff might not, but the I.T. department certainly does.

Now the story got more interesting as the newspaper backtracked the handle to discover that the poster had made public comments regarding cases the judge was hearing. Hmm, suddenly we have a lot more than a newspaper trying to even the playing field on an anonymous thorn in its side.

As you might suspect, the judge sued. Guess what? Better read that EULA -- by clicking OK on the P-D site, users (like virtually every site in the western world) waived the right to privacy, that their data could be sold to outside groups and could be revealed to police or other authorities if crimes were suspected.

The judge's 22-year-old law school student daughter stepped up to say she was the poster, but the Plain Dealer made an open records request of the I.T. logs of the judge's public office computer. Guess what? IP logs show the judge's computer logged into the Plain Dealer website at the same time some of the comments were posted.

Side bar -- did you notice the byline used by the reporter "Breaking News, Real Time News" on the blog entry for the P-D?