The Power and Problems with Network Anonymity

Lane, A, 2012

The Power and Problems with Network Anonymity

The wives of soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) find "power" a difficult concept to grapple with - especially in the real world.  This struggle with power does not disappear when they venture into cyberspace.  Since joining PTSD - The Wives Side (PTSD-TWS) I have started to think of the power we all possess and the powers that are used against us in different ways. A factor we must all consider when joining any social network is security.

Originally designed as a safe-haven for wives to discuss personal problems, feelings and emotions relating to their partner’s PTSD conditions, PTSD-TWS is now feeling like a less comfortable space.
Initially power flowed through this network rather fluidly.  Women were posting directly to the site, but that has changed with the infiltration of many husbands - using fake profiles - an external power has influenced the network and “Big Brother is now watching!” (Kuttainen, 2017)
This change in power has altered the way wives are interacting with other members of the network.

Instead of directly posting, they now private message the PTSD-TWS administrator (hub) who then publishes their blogs anonymously – handing power to the hub and taking power away from the poster.

More and more, Foucault’s Panopticon theory (Turkle, 1995) has become relevant to this network as the safety and security element has diminished.  This change in dynamic is relevant to Orwell’s concept regarding surveillance “…you had to live – did live…in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.” George Orwell's, 1984, (Full Movie)

Another interesting correlation to this alteration of power is how the conversations have modified and power structures have changed due to these shifts.

“The social psychology of this century reveals a major lesson: often it is not so much the kind of person a man is as the kind of situation in which he finds himself that determines how he will act.” (Stanley Milgram 1974).

Drawing on Milgrim’s thoughts, it is easy to see how his theory relates to the impact these fake identities have had on the site.

Men have used the platform to attempt to instil their power as well as intimidate and subdue their partners.

In turn, some women have left the page for fear of repercussions – the energy in the network is evolving.
Powers have shifted positively for some women…they have joined forces and used their combined powers to stand up to dominating figures in their network.

Ultimately, power is a fluctuating factor that can have many influences, both affirmative and adverse on our online lives.

How we obtain and retain the power, use it to influence, dominate, support and manipulate our networks is something we should all consider when navigating social media.

After all, we don’t know how far our power can reach or who our power will impact upon….

References

Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture week 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Orwell, G. (1984). 1984. Retrieved from URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCZBnUt6rZ0

Milgrim, S. (1974). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture week 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au