Comments on: Anonymous Blogging in Arabia http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia what the toot is happening here? Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:51:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Tarek http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-226 Sun, 19 Feb 2006 06:39:02 +0000 http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-226 Anonymous blogging "calls into question the efficacy of activism when the activists refuse to even show their faces." Read more: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/776/sc5.htm Anonymous blogging “calls into question the efficacy of activism when the activists refuse to even show their faces.”

Read more: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/776/sc5.htm

]]> by: eerie http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-60 Mon, 09 Jan 2006 20:21:16 +0000 http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-60 Anonymity is often necessary for bloggers who wish to make information public but for whatever reason (e.g. non-disclosure contracts at work, conflicts of interest) can't do it under their real-life identity. I don't see that as being a huge barrier to validating the information because as critical readers we should be analyzing all media for hidden agendas, spin, misinformation and sloppy research. Plenty of mainstream news outlets use "anonymous sources" or "senior government officials" as the basis for their articles, so how is that really different in terms of validation? One never really knows, so one must always be vigilant and critical. For anon bloggers, credibility has to be built up over time and is generally based on whether or not their insight is useful and can be corroborated by other sources of information (as opposed to their name or organization). The agenda (or lack thereof) is usually apparent after sustained reading. On our blog, some prefer to use aliases while others choose to use their real identities. There are usually very good reasons for this, usually involving sensitivities in real-life interactions and/or country of residence. Anonymity is often necessary for bloggers who wish to make information public but for whatever reason (e.g. non-disclosure contracts at work, conflicts of interest) can’t do it under their real-life identity. I don’t see that as being a huge barrier to validating the information because as critical readers we should be analyzing all media for hidden agendas, spin, misinformation and sloppy research. Plenty of mainstream news outlets use “anonymous sources” or “senior government officials” as the basis for their articles, so how is that really different in terms of validation? One never really knows, so one must always be vigilant and critical.

For anon bloggers, credibility has to be built up over time and is generally based on whether or not their insight is useful and can be corroborated by other sources of information (as opposed to their name or organization). The agenda (or lack thereof) is usually apparent after sustained reading.

On our blog, some prefer to use aliases while others choose to use their real identities. There are usually very good reasons for this, usually involving sensitivities in real-life interactions and/or country of residence.

]]> by: moryarti http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-58 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 11:39:37 +0000 http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-58 ... its the comfort of people knowing the blogger without pre-judging based on his nationality, race or social background. using an alias, people get to see who i am; free of any preset perceptions or presumptions in a material-and-stigma-free world (hopefully) I use an alias - but that never stopped me from revealing my identity and meeting (in person) several bloggers (including some of the most notoriously anonymous ones in the region)... … its the comfort of people knowing the blogger without pre-judging based on his nationality, race or social background.

using an alias, people get to see who i am; free of any preset perceptions or presumptions in a material-and-stigma-free world (hopefully)

I use an alias - but that never stopped me from revealing my identity and meeting (in person) several bloggers (including some of the most notoriously anonymous ones in the region)…

]]> by: EXzombie http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-56 Sat, 07 Jan 2006 21:54:40 +0000 http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-56 forgot to say one last thought.... in order to have a clear idea on the subject we should first agree on the definition of "anonymous".....?!?! forgot to say one last thought….

in order to have a clear idea on the subject we should first agree on the definition of “anonymous”…..?!?!

]]> by: EXzombie http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-53 Sat, 07 Jan 2006 21:37:26 +0000 http://blog.itoot.net/archives/anonymous-blogging-in-arabia#comment-53 I don't know why all this debate and confrontaion is all about, wither I prefer to be anonymous or not is my choice.... as for validation this is not up to me, it's up to the reader....!!! and I have to point out that even when your not anonymous you don't have the authority or validation as an anonymous blogger simply becuase the type of media that we use ie. blogging is not controled or for that matter trusted as news papers or news agencies that prodcast via T.V. radio, or print....!!! and why most of the bloggers that tackle this issue are categorizing other bloggers who are anonymous....!!! can't there be a different group who enjoy blogging just for the hell of it....!!! I as well as many other bloggers don't need to expose our identities simply because people will see the posts and opinions based on what your background or name or status is, and mostly will overlaps the ideas expressed to focus on the reason we post.....!!! we don't hide behind nick names or fake pics, and we don't do an effort to hide our identities, you want an example... in kuwaiti blogging community, many of us do gather around in non formal gatherings, most of us do know each other from real life... you need validation on religious issues or other life determining choises then my friend your in the wrong place.... you shouldn't be taken it from blogs or from some one in the internet even if that person has shown you his identity.... so what if he posts with his real name or whatever.... does that mean that they are responsible for their opinions or your choice based on what they said.....!!! of course not... I don't think that being known is a key to talk about taboos or political issues, if that was the fact then why do the majority of the jordanian blogs don't venture through these topics....!!! thanks again for your moderate oppinion about the issue and hope we come to a preferable conclusion.... p.s. if you want to know an anonymous blogger then why don't you approach them, or ask them, I'm pretty sure if your valid enough to be trusted, the anonymous blogger would show you who he is.....!!! I don’t know why all this debate and confrontaion is all about, wither I prefer to be anonymous or not is my choice….

as for validation this is not up to me, it’s up to the reader….!!!
and I have to point out that even when your not anonymous you don’t have the authority or validation as an anonymous blogger simply becuase the type of media that we use ie. blogging is not controled or for that matter trusted as news papers or news agencies that prodcast via T.V. radio, or print….!!!

and why most of the bloggers that tackle this issue are categorizing other bloggers who are anonymous….!!!

can’t there be a different group who enjoy blogging just for the hell of it….!!!
I as well as many other bloggers don’t need to expose our identities simply because people will see the posts and opinions based on what your background or name or status is, and mostly will overlaps the ideas expressed to focus on the reason we post…..!!!

we don’t hide behind nick names or fake pics, and we don’t do an effort to hide our identities, you want an example…

in kuwaiti blogging community, many of us do gather around in non formal gatherings, most of us do know each other from real life…

you need validation on religious issues or other life determining choises then my friend your in the wrong place…. you shouldn’t be taken it from blogs or from some one in the internet even if that person has shown you his identity….
so what if he posts with his real name or whatever…. does that mean that they are responsible for their opinions or your choice based on what they said…..!!!

of course not…

I don’t think that being known is a key to talk about taboos or political issues, if that was the fact then why do the majority of the jordanian blogs don’t venture through these topics….!!!

thanks again for your moderate oppinion about the issue and hope we come to a preferable conclusion….

p.s. if you want to know an anonymous blogger then why don’t you approach them, or ask them, I’m pretty sure if your valid enough to be trusted, the anonymous blogger would show you who he is…..!!!

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