After viewing this TED talk on 4chan, I was pleased to know that there exists a place where complete anonymity is the focus. I agreed with Christopher's point on the fact that everything online is now becoming so "identity persistent"; sites ask you to register using your name and e-mail, Facebook and twitter are ubiquitous, and online profiles are becoming an increasingly important part of one's social and vocational life. I personally remember how when I was younger, I would sign up for everything with a fake name and a fake e-mail, as I was told the internet was dangerous, but nowadays it seems the complete opposite. Therefore, I consider a site like 4chan a gem.
The case of anonymity on 4chan also allows for unfiltered and raw comments and discussion threads, and while this can and does lead to some inappropriate content as Chris mentioned, it also allows for amazing good that otherwise may have not happened, like with the person who was beating the cat was arrested within 48 hours. In fact, I read an article on how 4chan users all gamed an online voting system for a contest of Oprah's to see who would get their own television show, in a much similar fashion of how they managed to get Chris to win the TIME poll. Organization and assembly like this, especially over the internet, may not have been possible if it was possible to trace who every person partaking in the incident was, but it is thanks to 4chan and complete anonymity. In addition to this, individual creativity is allowed to flow freely without the fear of personal judgment, and thus an outlet like this is very important and arguably necessary for the ever-changing internet.
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