Authenticity Amplified
Authenticity Amplified
How Pseudonyms Evolve on the AI Frontier
John sat at his desk, typing about his family’s beach vacation. His personal Artificial Intelligence (AI), Sparky, watched over him, alert for any danger. As John composed his tweet, Sparky flagged comments that could expose him to risk. The memory of his friend’s doxing flashed through John’s mind, sending shivers down his spine. He felt safe under the watchful eye of Sparky, the AI’s protective measures allowing John to obscure his location and identity, free from harm. John breathed in the salty ocean air and basked in the warm sun, grateful for the peace of mind Sparky provided.
In this story, Sparky juggles many pseudonyms, creating a fresh digital persona for every new encounter and discarding any that are exposed or compromised, all the while notifying associates of the change. In the digital world, Sparky gives John a chameleon-like ability to adapt to any situation. Slipping in and out of different personas with ease and grace allows John to take advantage of the core benefit of using pseudonyms: freedom to be authentic.
Pseudonyms, Because Authenticity
People have long used pseudonyms for various reasons. These reasons are the truest expressions of authenticity:
Dabble in activities that may upset one’s friends
Explore new interests without judgment
Avoid pigeon-holing
Write about sensitive topics
Shield one’s privacy and security
Make a fresh start
Undertake forbidden pursuits
Safeguard one’s occupation
With an alternate identity, you’ll be able to take on greater risks and bask in a greater sense of authenticity. It’s like becoming a superhero, but without the spandex, unless that’s your thing, of course.
Face-to-Face Fallout
Pseudonymity has two sides: physical and virtual.
Managing the physical part is hard:
One must master the craft of self-censorship in face-to-face encounters, demanding quick thinking and adaptability in real-time.
When one’s identity is doxed, escaping the situation may require moving, trying to keep your name out of public records, and trying to protect loved ones as well. Recovering is difficult and doing nothing about it can be dangerous.
Dodging Doxing
Get ready to strap on your virtual reality gear, because network states are the future. These bad boys begin in cyberspace and evolve into physical space, which makes them pioneers in establishing new social norms for pseudonymity.
If well-designed, these norms encourage good security practices, even if your behavior seems like something straight out of a spy movie. As long as you are seen as non-threatening, people from different cultures with strong beliefs will be treated with respect.
Some pseudonym etiquette:
It’s socially acceptable to alter your identity from time to time.
Asking questions that dox are off-limits, for example, it’s impolite to ask why someone’s identity is being changed.
If questions go from curious to creepy, here are some remarks for nosy nellies:
Let’s not dox ourselves, shall we?
Sharing is caring, but oversharing is just plain daring.
If I told you that, there would be no mystery.
Let’s save the oversharing for our next therapy session.
Network Union, Safety In Numbers
A network union helps us contend with the perilous landscape of the physical world:
When a network union starts organizing in-person gatherings, the closely united community fosters an atmosphere that promotes members’ authenticity in the physical realm.
A network union that crowdfunds land can really save the day. Their members can help you relocate to safer ground if you’re in harm’s way. And if the government is the cause of the danger, the union can collectively act by withdrawing its members and resources from the area. It’s like going on strike, but without John Galt’s speech.
Pseudonyms, Early and Often
Dealing with the physical aspect is challenging but swapping into new virtual identities is easy and low-cost by comparison.
Abhisek Basu recommends creating lots of pseudonyms. The more pseudonyms you have, the more options you have.
Even in a scenario where the arrival of advanced AI obliterates existing pseudonyms, it still makes sense to set them up now so you can reduce vulnerability during the AI transformation.
Two Worlds, Two Pseudonyms
Here’s the case for two pseudonym types:
Web2 Pseudonym: Web2 is a centralized fussy control freak that can’t mind its own business. Web3 is generally decentralized, but it is important to remember that centralized businesses can be built on web3 as well.
The web2 pseudonym is:Harder to defend
More expensive and slower to set up
Harder to manage
More useful now
Web3 Pseudonym: Separately, develop an identity that only lives in decentralized web3.
The web3 pseudonym is:Easier to defend
Cheaper and faster to set up
Easier to manage
Less useful now, but will become useful in the future
A web3 pseudonym can also be converted into a web2 pseudonym in a pinch
Pseudonyms 2.0
In the near future, those who shun pseudonyms will face considerable disadvantages, including bad actors using AI to turn their lives into a living hell.
On the other hand, this same AI makes pseudonym management a breeze. Plus, with web3 technology joining in, you’ll be able to save your brainpower for more important things.
In case you exhaust your pseudonym reserve too rapidly, your AI will have your back by creating new identities instantly to replace them. Your AI can even keep all backup identities active to prevent spare logins from getting locked out due to idleness. Keeping identities active is recommended since reactivating an unused identity could link it to a doxed identity—timing matters.
A big advantage of pseudonymity is that it combines privacy with reputation building, but that reputation goes up in smoke when doxed. Currently, no effective method exists to transfer reputation, but a future network state could potentially alleviate this problem by introducing a social smart contract that vouches for new pseudonyms.
Pseudo-Renaissance
The Pseudonym Renaissance! For brave souls yearning to unleash their true selves. By banding together we can give sanctuary to the doxed. It’s time to reveal the real you, under the guise of a mighty pseudonym.
ChatGPT and I go together like peanut butter and jelly. We’re an unstoppable duo, and once you read our words, you won’t be able to quit us either.