The Rise of the Digital Mask: Motivations, Behaviors, and Implications of Anonymous Profiles on Facebook
Anonymous profiles enable critical speech for vulnerable populations. One participant (P3) used an anonymous account to report workplace harassment without fear of retaliation. Conversely, the same tools enable coordinated harassment campaigns (e.g., “brigading” of local community pages). Notably, 44% of survey respondents had received abusive messages from an anonymous account, yet 68% said they would oppose a total ban on anonymity. fb anonymous profile
[Your Name/Institutional Affiliation] Date: [Current Date] The Rise of the Digital Mask: Motivations, Behaviors,
Understanding this phenomenon is critical as Facebook (now Meta) continues to dominate global social networking, with over 3 billion users. As digital surveillance intensifies and public discourse becomes increasingly polarized, anonymous profiles may serve as both a refuge and a weapon. This study synthesizes existing literature and original qualitative data to provide a comprehensive analysis. 2.1 The Real-Name Debate Boyd (2012) argues that real-name policies disproportionately harm marginalized groups, including survivors of domestic violence, LGBTQ+ individuals in unsafe environments, and political dissidents. Conversely, Facebook has historically justified its policy as a deterrent to cyberbullying and fraud (Facebook Community Standards, 2020). Notably, 44% of survey respondents had received abusive