Fun Stuff

Okay, this may not be the most fun stuff in the world, but I bet it's a lot more fun than simply reading pages of text and looking at a few pictures. After all, you get to do stuff on this page! That qualifies as fun in my book, so I hope you enjoy what I have for you here.

First I have a couple of polls for you to vote on. As you may have been able to guess, they have to do with anonymity. The first is a fairly basic "What side are you on?" question. I realize that some people may have varying levels of like or dislike of online anonymity, so I made sure to account for that. The second poll is just for simple curiosity, as I was interested to see how many different pseudonyms people have on a whole. And I mean real pseudonyms, not just a form of your name (i.e. johndoe@berkeley.edu). So feel free to vote, and vote honestly! There's no hidden agenda here except pure interest.

And now, I have a small quiz for you! (This is Berkeley; did you expect to get away without a quiz?) I hope you were paying attention to the report and not just looking at the pictures. This quiz is 10 questions long; you can find out how well you did at the bottom. Enjoy (and don't worry; this won't affect your grade)!

1. What was the first online newsgroup to feature anonymous posting?
A. alt.fantasy.roleplay
B. alt.sex.bondange
C. alt.terrorism.planning

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2. People say that anonymity as protection in the United States goes back to what Revolutionary era literature?
A. Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac
B. Thomas Jefferson's The Notes on Virginia
C. Thomas Paine's Common Sense

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3. What Yale professor is one of the leading proponents of online anonymity for psychological and sociological reasons?
A. David Davenport
B. John A. Bargh
C. Lokman Tsui

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4. Communicating with people anonymously online has been compared to what literary scenario?
A. Strangers on a Train
B. Lovers in the Rain
C. Snakes on a Plane

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5. What term is used when referring to someone verbally harrassing another user on a message board or elsewhere?
A. "Bashing"
B. "Smearing"
C. "Flaming"

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6. What is a theoretical outcome of exploring different online personas for someone with a weak psyche?
A. Psychosis and Schizophrenia
B. Insomnia
C. "Visions from God"

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7. Which of these crimes has been assisted greatly by online anonymity?
A. Financial Scams
B. Racketeering
C. Tax Evasion

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8. In what Supreme Court case was the statement "Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority" first said?
A. ACLU v. Miller
B. Talley v. California
C. McIntyre v. Ohio Election Commission

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9. When is the name of the Chinese government organization that regulates people's use of the Internet?
A. The Panopticon
B. The People's Eye
C. Big Brother

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10. What is the opinion of the author of this website regarding anonymity on the Internet?
A. He is opposed to it.
B. He is in favor of it.
C. "He"?! The author of this website is female, buster!

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Correct Answers:
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Question 4:
Question 5:
Question 6:
Question 7:
Question 8:
Question 9:
Question 10:

You scored out of 10!

Before you go, be sure to give your opinion of online anonymity and my website in the guestbook...

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