Anonymity in the blogosphere

This is a post that is really better for the Badger Blog Alliance, but I'm going to keep it here because Jiblog is a little less visited than the BBA, and I want to contribute as little to the 'Dennis York' buzz as possible. I feel compelled to comment on this, though. In a post tonight, York stated that he is going to pull the plug on his blog because of the growing speculation as to his real identity. That is very unfortunate for the Wisconsin blogosphere.

York is/was a very witty writer and talented blogger, and that is a problem for his anonymity. When a very talented anonymous blogger happens onto the scene, it isn't very long before people feel they have to out that blogger. Sometimes it is just curiosity. Sometimes it is a little more sinister. Either way, that buzz is uncomfortable for the anonymous blogger because they are anonymous for a reason. Often times that reason is directly related to their day job. Some of us are just more comfortable with a wall between our work and our politics, and the wall is pretty flimsy and easy to get around; if someone figures out who we are, it's no big deal. For others, though, that wall is very important part of keeping their day job. Once people start trying to climb the wall, the gig is up, because eventually someone will get a peek over the top, usually on the shoulders of others.

Can anonymous blogging be a problem? Yes, but I don't see any problems in York's case. Besides, outing anonymous bloggers is unnecessary even when it is a problem, because the blogosphere tends to take of business on its own by discrediting those blogs and pulling links, thereby killing their traffic and influence. Some may say that York is a victim of his own success. I say he was done in by prying eyes that really didn't need to be prying. Either way, York is not the first anonymous blogger to be done in by the real identity treasure hunt, he won't be the last, and I find that very unfortunate for all of us who blog or read blogs.