Anonymity, accountability and rights: a Kantian view of online anonymity in the South African constitutional framework
Date
2021
Authors
Grieve, Candice Leigh
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The internet has introduced a number of new ethical challenges or, at the very least, added complexities to
existing ones. Whereas in the physical world, human action is limited by constraints such as time and place,
the same is not always true online. In particular, anonymity is easier to attain online and can be maintained
with greater surety that one’s identity will not be exposed. Thus, people are able to mask their identity and act
anonymously with greater ease and on a much grander scale.
Some argue that online anonymity cannot be regulated and we have to accept that online anonymity is
increasingly prevalent and practically unavoidable. Further, there are those who defend anonymity online for
its alleged positive impacts (e.g. freer self-expression). This paper argues that there is good reason to regulate
online anonymity, specifically on a Kantian-based perspective of human rights. In particular, it is argued that:
1. There are no human rights on which a “right to act anonymously” can be founded; and
2. Anonymity undermines agent accountability and therefore (at least from the Kantian perspective of the
right), there is good reason to restrict people’s ability to act anonymously.
Description
A research report submitted to the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts (Applied Ethics for Professionals), 2021