Facebook will now let you post anonymously

[Josy]

Facebook has released a new app that lets people use its service anonymously.


The social network unveiled Rooms on Thursday, a standalone mobile app for iOS that lets users interact on Facebook without using their real names. The aim is for people to feel free to discuss sensitive issues, when normally they would not be comfortable doing so.


A "room" is made up of photos and posts on a single topic chosen by the person who set it up. That person can then invite others to join the room, and all can post anonymously. Colours, icons and cover photos for the room can also be modified to suit the creator's tastes.


Early users have created rooms for beat-boxing videos, parkour and home-cooked meals.


Facebook product manager Josh Miller, who spearheaded the app, said: "There is a good reason in a lot of situations why you don't want people to know who you are and it's not because of something sketchy. We want to give people flexibility because that's what they want."


More at the link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/11184072/Facebook-will-now-let-you-post-anonymously.html

[Josy]

Nothing online is truly 'anonymous' IMO.

And this wont end well.

[Kazanne]

Don't like the sound of that tbh.

[Niamh.]

Yeah this will just be abused by idiots imo

[Jamesy]

If you invite others into the 'room' doesn't that defeat the object of it being 'anonymous'...

Doesn't sound that good, can't say I'll see it hitting off well.

[andybigbro]

Facebook need to stop trying everything.

Just stick to what they've got!

[Livia]

Nothing online is truly 'anonymous' IMO.

And this wont end well.

True, and... true.

[JoshBB]

copying the anon feature from tumblr. :inamood:

[Ramsay]

I don't get it..what does this accomplish apart from encouraging cyber bullying?

[waterhog]

desperate times. bye bye disgrace book.

[lostalex]

misleading title. it's only for specific groups. the VAST majority of people cannot post anonmittlitityhuiobsduokvsb however you spell it.

[T*]

This is going to end superbly :idc:

[T*]

can facebook just die now please

[lostalex]

can facebook just die now please

delete your account right now.

[Creggle]

Cowards will love this. The kind of people who won't say jack unless they're anon.

[Shaun]

Seems incredibly pointless.

[lostalex]

Cowards will love this. The kind of people who won't say jack unless they're anon.

post your full name and phone number right now. I dare you.

[user104658]

Nothing online is truly 'anonymous' IMO.

And this wont end well.
Well of course not, facebook still knows who you are (much like on here, if there was a serious incident you can supply the police with the posting IP and through the corresponding ISP they can get a real I. D.)

although... If you know how to use Tor properly you are anonymous for all intents and purposes. someone very skilled could trace you, of course, but we're talking CIA / MI5 level skilled with months of resources here, for tracking down terrorist cells. Not your common or garden "trolls".

[waterhog]

with all the crimes that happen - do you think the police are going to track everyone that says something that some might be offended by ?

in the case of kate and jerry - shame on anyone who posted anything nasty about them but like i say - it is going to be impossible to stop everyone speaking and saying things weather you agree or disagree as like i say - police are stretched as it is.

if you have the money to fund your own case - thats a different story

[Cal.]

More animal abuse videos than ever, then.

[Kizzy]

There has to be a reason why they've done this, could it be a sting to try trap people trolling, grooming or posting vile pics?

[user104658]

There has to be a reason why they've done this, could it be a sting to try trap people trolling, grooming or posting vile pics?
Well, they say that the reason is because there are many things - important things - that people won't discuss with their name and personal details on display... Such as victims of abuse, addiction, being the family member of an addict, etc. or even things like people making music or creative writing - who want to share and get feedback but are too embarrassed to do it openly incase people "laugh at them". And for those sorts of things, I can see how it could work. I also don't see how trolling could occur with the way it's described, as groups seem to be invite only so not many should get through, and presumably anyone who does turn out to be a "troll" can be kicked.

What does worry me though, is that it clearly can't be monitored 100% and will rely on people in the groups themselves reporting dodgy activity. Which with it being invite only, is unlikely. Makes me wonder if it might end up being used for dodgier things like "girlfriend porn" sharing, drugs, trading / offloading stolen goods, things like that.

It's unlikely to be used by "paedophile rings" as those are pretty well established on the dark Web with much stronger anonymity. The way the FB thing will work, I would imagine, is that it's still tied to your real account but you make a username specifically for each group and people in the group only see that. I doubt you'll be able to sign up for fully anonymous accounts. Well, no more than you can already, by creating a fake profile.

[waterhog]

yes thats right TOY - it will all be accountable for eventully - but the point i am making is are people really interested in this anymore ? just seems so boring to me. much perfer a decent forum and choose topics i want to add my 10 cents to instead of trying to chat to lots of people who maybe just be online to waste some time. boring.

[Creggle]

post your full name and phone number right now. I dare you.

dumb post.

me doing that has nothing to do with abusing people behind anon, people will use this to send abusive messages that they wouldn't dare send, if people could see who they were.

spring.me is a good example of this. facebook was relatively safe from this sort of crap

[user104658]

yes thats right TOY - it will all be accountable for eventully - but the point i am making is are people really interested in this anymore ? just seems so boring to me. much perfer a decent forum and choose topics i want to add my 10 cents to instead of trying to chat to lots of people who maybe just be online to waste some time. boring.
I much prefer independent forums too, but unfortunately they are a dying breed. The "average" Internet user these days knows nothing of the Internet outside of Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and maybe a quick Google search.

[Kizzy]

Well, they say that the reason is because there are many things - important things - that people won't discuss with their name and personal details on display... Such as victims of abuse, addiction, being the family member of an addict, etc. or even things like people making music or creative writing - who want to share and get feedback but are too embarrassed to do it openly incase people "laugh at them". And for those sorts of things, I can see how it could work. I also don't see how trolling could occur with the way it's described, as groups seem to be invite only so not many should get through, and presumably anyone who does turn out to be a "troll" can be kicked.

What does worry me though, is that it clearly can't be monitored 100% and will rely on people in the groups themselves reporting dodgy activity. Which with it being invite only, is unlikely. Makes me wonder if it might end up being used for dodgier things like "girlfriend porn" sharing, drugs, trading / offloading stolen goods, things like that.

It's unlikely to be used by "paedophile rings" as those are pretty well established on the dark Web with much stronger anonymity. The way the FB thing will work, I would imagine, is that it's still tied to your real account but you make a username specifically for each group and people in the group only see that. I doubt you'll be able to sign up for fully anonymous accounts. Well, no more than you can already, by creating a fake profile.

This issue can be addressed by using a fake profile though surely, then you really are anon aren't you?
I didn't say anything about 'pedophile rings' I said grooming, scenarios such as kids being added and chatted to posing as another child, asking for pictures and blackmailing the child if they don't comply.

[LukeB]

this will please keyboard warriors

[coffee]

Why would they want to allow this after the whole deal about deleting profiles of performers who used their stage name instead of their real name? The excuse they used for that was that it's to keep facebook a safe place and obviously this isn't going to be safe at all :/

[user104658]

This issue can be addressed by using a fake profile though surely, then you really are anon aren't you?
I didn't say anything about 'pedophile rings' I said grooming, scenarios such as kids being added and chatted to posing as another child, asking for pictures and blackmailing the child if they don't comply.
Well yes, people can and do already do that (a gay friend of mine is on fb under a false name because he doesn't want coworkers to know he's gay, which makes me very sad...) but that's technically against Facebook rules. I think this new idea is Facebook attempting to "legitimise anonymity" because they know it's popular on other platforms... Whilst at the same time making it not truly anonymous. I'd guess that fb staff will be able to see real names at the click of a button, whereas with a fake account they'd either need to IP match or, failing that, have police involved with a warrant to attach a real face to a fake account.

[waterhog]

from that toy soilder i can see your friend is living a lie and he is either using disgracebook or bitter to make new friends and maybe to arrange casual to do's. to me what ever the reason - it is both sad. there are websites to arrange this and you do not need to give your real name - so you either be honest and put it on disgraceacebook for the world to see and tell the nation everything about yourself and if you don't like it - use other sites that you can remain anonymous ie no strings. both point to me there is no need for disgracebook or bitter in this society and i back you toy - nothing better then a good old forum.

[lostalex]

dumb post.

me doing that has nothing to do with abusing people behind anon, people will use this to send abusive messages that they wouldn't dare send, if people could see who they were.

spring.me is a good example of this. facebook was relatively safe from this sort of crap

so you prefer to be anonymous./ so what i said is very relevant.

[user104658]

from that toy soilder i can see your friend is living a lie and he is either using disgracebook or bitter to make new friends and maybe to arrange casual to do's. to me what ever the reason - it is both sad. there are websites to arrange this and you do not need to give your real name - so you either be honest and put it on disgraceacebook for the world to see and tell the nation everything about yourself and if you don't like it - use other sites that you can remain anonymous ie no strings. both point to me there is no need for disgracebook or bitter in this society and i back you toy - nothing better then a good old forum.
Actually it's sadder than that! He was out as gay from the age of 17 happily, all through University too, so all of his school and Uni friends know he is gay. He's with a long term partner and they're even engaged. So he has all of us (his school, uni and other friends) on facebook and is just himself on there, but when he started his career, he sort of "went back in the closet" with coworkers... So now he uses a fake name on facebook because he's scared that they'll find him on there and find out that he's gay. Can't be nice for his partner, either :(.

[lostalex]

I've dated a closeted guy before, toy soldier is right, it's not fun. It's a total mind****. It makes you feel like he's ashamed of you, and that he's ashamed of himself. It's a form of slavery. You don't know if you are allowed to touch him or hold his hand or talk about him or talk to his friends. It's like those stories you hear about women being locked in their house with the windows boarded up and totally cut off from the outside world. The closeted guy has all the power over what you can and cannot say, and to whom, and at what time and where you are allowed to show him affection.

Being in a relationship with a closeted person is a form of abuse imho.

[user104658]

I've dated a closeted guy before, toy soldier is right, it's not fun. It's a total mind****. It makes you feel like he's ashamed of you, and that he's ashamed of himself. It's a form of slavery. You don't know if you are allowed to touch him or hold his hand or talk about him or talk to his friends. It's like those stories you hear about women being locked in their house with the windows boarded up and totally cut off from the outside world. The closeted guy has all the power over what you can and cannot say, and to whom, and at what time and where you are allowed to show him affection.

Being in a relationship with a closeted person is a form of abuse imho.

The oddest part really is his "half in, half out" situation. They live in one city and he works in another, an hour's drive away. He basically is totally "out", with friends, family, and "their city"... they live together, go out (openly) together at night, are affectionate in public, just a normal relationship... but he keeps his "work life" totally separate and if he's in that other city, he's "back in the closet". He's worried about how he'll be treated at work and what it will mean for his career prospects... which is really depressing, must be a **** thing to have to consider because it obviously shouldn't matter. And he doesn't even know if it WOULD matter - he has no idea how they would react... it's just that he's heard a few making homophobic comments in passing. The reality is that they probably didn't "mean it" and would never have said it at all if they knew he was gay.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it abuse, I think his partner for the mostpart understands, but yeah, I imagine it still must sting to feel like a "dirty secret" even if it is only for that one part of his life. I also always think that, surely, he must always be keeping an eye out incase he spots someone from work when they're out... as it being another city doesn't mean it's impossible that he'll run into someone. Which means he surely can't ever be totally relaxed with public affection.