I was waiting for someone to come up with a term for the emboldening effect of on-line anonymity, and then the other day I stumbled across this. Don't know if it'll catch on, but I like it—or maybe "masquerade effect"—better than "courage dot com" (with all due respect).

Quote:


The Mardi Gras Effect

American psychologists refer to the ability to hide one’s identity on the Internet as the Mardi Gras phenomenon. Internet users feel they are wearing masks and can act anonymously in the dark and secretive world of cyberspace. [...] [One] may question whether individuals are able to maintain their touch with reality when they continuously pretend to be someone that they are not.

—Dr. Godwin, a forensic consultant, for Web Mystery Magazine, Summer 2005: Volume III, Issue 1.


Last edited by Hydra; 12/01/2006 5:17 PM.