Does Anonymity Still Exist on the Internet? (Jonathan Castella's Blog Post #5)

 In the early days of the internet anonymity was easy to achieve almost anywhere you go. Not only was this kind of internet anonymity common, it felt as if it was the norm as well. Users could join online forums, post on online message boards, and engage in discussions across the internet without having to reveal their real names or personal details. But in today's internet of 2025 this idea no longer rings very true. Today’s mainstream internet is largely dominated by social media  platforms that require at least some minimum level of identification. Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, often have policies where users are often encouraged, or even required to link their digital presence to their real world selves. At the same time, some corners of the web continue to offer spaces where anonymity still plays a central role. Most prominently for this discussion 4Chan. Since its founding in 2003, 4Chan has functioned as an anonymous imageboard, allowing users to post and interact without the need for accounts or usernames. This structure has allowed for the rapid spread of memes, grassroots movements, and a wide range of content sometimes intended to be funny, sometimes chaotic, or often just to stir controversy. The platform’s anonymity has become both its defining strength and a source of criticism. Yet even on social media sites like 4Chan, total anonymity is somewhat of a facade. Users on 4Chan do not have visible identities, however, site administrators and law enforcement can trace posts back to specific IP addresses leading to identities being uncovered. However, with the use of tools like VPS users can easily hide their identity IP address on these sorts of sites. Whether or not anonymity still exists online in the way it did in the internet days of old is clear: No. But doesn't anonymity exist at all? It depends on where you look and how deep you’re willing to go.