I came across two fascinating articles that got me thinking about the future of technology and its impact on society. The first, from the Financial Times, was titled “Meetings in the Metaverse: New Tech Draws Workers to Virtual Offices.” It reminded me of how, during the COVID pandemic, the metaverse seemed poised to revolutionize our lives. Yet, this vision hasn’t quite materialized. The high cost of headgear, like Apple’s $3,500 AR/VR headset, and the general dislike of wearing these devices for prolonged periods of time, has caused interest to wane. Even Meta’s Oculus hasn’t gained the traction expected. But now, there’s a new wave of interest as the metaverse intersects with advancements in generative AI. I foresee in the coming year a convergence of blockchain, the metaverse, and AI— the three most recent tech hypes, giving rise to innovative and ground breaking use cases and applications.

The second article, from the Wall Street Journal, titled “An Anonymous Messaging App Upended This High School,” discussed an app called Fizz. Fizz is a social media platform that banks on total anonymity. Initially, it was just students sharing jokes and memes, but it quickly devolved into a platform for bullying, hateful comments, and false accusations against teachers. It became so toxic that the school had to intervene and get the company to remove them from their list. Fizz works by requiring a school email, supposedly to keep out non-school actors, but this setup only exacerbated the issues.

These articles led me to reflect on the concept of anonymity on the internet. I used to think it was a great feature—after all, online, no one knows if you’re a dog or a human. But now, I’m struggling to see its value, especially in a free society. Anonymity seems to absolve people of accountability and brings out the worst in us all.

After reading the Wall Street Journal article, I’ve realized that the role of anonymity in a free society needs serious reconsideration. While some argue it protects whistleblowers, we already have laws for that. Anonymity doesn’t shield whistleblowers from anonymous online attackers who ruin their reputations. Instead, anonymity undermines our institutions and social contract. This is a complex issue that deserves more thought and discussion.

As we navigate the evolving landscape of technology, we must critically evaluate the implications of anonymity online. It’s a topic that impacts our digital interactions and the fabric of our society. We need to find a balance that protects individuals without enabling the negative behaviors anonymity often brings out.