Who’s afraid of anonymity?

Let’s face it, “anonymity” has become a dirty word. It is too often associated with “hiding” illicit activities and the perpetrators behind them.Not only is this a false association, it also has huge consequences for our privacy whether we’re online or off.

Nym’s new series “Who’s afraid of anonymity?” will try to demystify anonymity and explore its fundamental relation to privacy and a safe, democratic life. But nothing is so simple, so we will also need to explore the limits and possible dangers of anonymity.

“Anonymity is not just a mask; it’s a shield.”

– Anonymous

What is anonymity?

For a moment, let’s forget all the scaremongering about anonymous criminals, shadowed faces lurking in the dark looking to hurt us. Yes, the fear of the unknown and unrecognizable is very real. But isn’t anonymity also a central aspect of human life? And when it comes to all the ways our online life is being surveilled, our many adversaries are even too dark to notice.

The meaning of anonymity

“Anonymity” comes to English from Ancient Greek, literally meaning the state (-ity) of having no (ano-) name (nym). But why would we want to lose our name? Isn’t this what makes us all individuals and protects our unique identities?

In some cases, yes. It can assure that private property belongs to us, or allow us to speak authentically and be held responsible for what we say publicly. But having an identifiable name which links us to something personal is also what leaves us vulnerable to attacks and exploitation when all we really want and need is privacy.

The importance of anonymity

Imagine a card game where each player’s hand is private until played. The deck has two sides: the public back and the private face. The anonymity of the card’s back is essential. If something about a card in the deck could be used to indicate the face-value (different shaped or damaged cards, unique designs or colors), then some players could de-anonymize the card to gain an unfair advantage over others. This would end the collective fun, joy, and gamble of the game itself.

This highlights the value of anonymity. Keeping certain information private ensures fairness and trust. In life, as in games, a balance between public and private is essential. When anonymity is compromised, manipulation and loss of trust follow. In today’s digital world, where surveillance is widespread, privacy and anonymity serve a shared purpose — protecting individuals from undue influence. Understanding how privacy evolved offline helps us see why it struggles to exist equally online.

Privacy as a political right

Rights to privacy are enshrined in democratic constitutions all over the world, even though billions of people still do not benefit from them. Of course, political rights are contextual and jurisdictional, depending on the country or society. Yet there are particular moments in history that helped advance the growing case for privacy as a universal right.

The U.S. Constitution and Privacy

The U.S. "right to privacy" originates from the 4th Amendment (1791): "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…” Before U.S. independence, colonial authorities conducted warrantless searches, often politically motivated, confiscating personal papers. This history shaped constitutional protections against government overreach. Today, most of our “papers” and “effects” exist digitally. Though written over two centuries ago, the 4th Amendment laid the foundation for global struggles to protect access to information and free communication, resisting authoritarianism in all forms.

Privacy as a human right

Privacy also became a core part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which members of the United Nations have in principle committed to protect “against such interference or attacks”:

“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence…” (Article 17)

As the UDHR makes clear, these personal privacy protections are inseparable from other fundamental human rights, such as the “freedom of thought” (Article 18) and the “freedom of opinion and expression,” including the right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” (Article 19).

Privacy, in this context, is much more than a personal right: it is a democratic capacity that enables us to associate and communicate freely with others. No matter who and where we are.

Moreover, privacy is linked to shared information, but information itself is complicated. And the advent of the internet has accelerated these complications.

Online privacy

As more of our lives move online, vast amounts of personal data become vulnerable to surveillance and tracking. Even when encrypted, metadata leaks valuable information that is systematically harvested. New legal protections, like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of 2018, aim to curb data exploitation. GDPR protects EU citizens’ data globally and grants rights such as transparency in data use and the "right to be forgotten." However, GDPR largely overlooks metadata, leaving a critical gap in privacy protection. More on this later.

From privacy to anonymity

So far, this is a story about the evolution of privacy: from the constitutional rights of a particular country, to universal rights, to (still regional) digital rights. But what does all this have to do with anonymity?

It is certainly not necessary to be anonymous in order to be private in all aspects of life. For example, we should be able to discuss things privately in the confines of our own homes and social groups while other people in our neighborhood or society know our real names.

But there are important contexts in which genuine privacy, freedom of speech, and freedom to information require anonymity as a tool to achieve it. So let’s start exploring how.

Anonymity for a private, safe life

Anonymity is in fact a social necessity for everyone. Our rights and security, both personal and collective, often depend on it.

Voting

When voting, we expect our choice to be counted and anonymous. While election results must be public, votes should remain unlinkable to individuals. In authoritarian regimes, voter identification can lead to intimidation, social exclusion, or violence, making anonymity essential for democracy. Many techniques ensure ballot anonymity and fraud prevention, but in-person voting has logistical challenges — work conflicts, travel distance, or intimidation. Digital voting offers a solution, but it requires strong data privacy and security. In the era of digital democracy, data anonymity is critical to protecting voter rights and ensuring free and fair elections.

Health care

If we need to have a medical service, we expect that the hospital or clinic will keep this information private. Publicly accessible medical records can lead insurance companies to raise our rates, employers to consider terminating contracts, or malicious individuals to target us. Medical data is definitely important for charting social trends, but unlinking individuals from their personal data through data anonymization ensures everyone has unimpeded access to health services.

Perhaps hard records are definitely a thing of the past, but ensuring the privacy and anonymity of digital records are still the problem. With the increasing rise of data leaks and cyber attacks, it’s more important than ever to ensure that our efforts to seek social and medical services are protected. For example, when it comes to women seeking out-of-state abortion services who may face community or legal reprisal, digital anonymity can be a part of ensuring safe passage.

Whistleblowing

Workers in private, public, and government sectors often witness wrongdoing. Anonymity allows them to report abuses safely, protecting them from retaliation and ensuring social justice. Journalists also need secure, anonymous communication with sources. End-to-end encrypted messaging apps have revolutionized digital privacy — not for criminals, but to protect users from surveillance and malicious threats in an increasingly vulnerable online space.

The urgency of online anonymity

Political rights, including privacy, are not automatic but are demanded, fought for, and defended over time. Privacy is essential for resisting oppression, ensuring safety, and improving daily life. With growing threats to digital security, online privacy must become a globally recognized right. However, in contexts where privacy is threatened, anonymity becomes essential. As vast amounts of personal data are collected — often without consent — the need for online anonymity has never been more urgent in protecting individual freedoms.