The Case for Anonymity

My online identity revolves around an image of a cartoon ape, a metaverse pseudonym for my real-world self. The bowler hat and Patagonia-style vest, representing both past and present styles in the finance industry where I have worked for nearly two decades, and 3D glasses highlighting how I look for value where it does not exist. This ape represents who I am and I have been proud to call it my avatar over the past few months.

However, I also fully support individuals who want to remain anonymous. It’s easy to point to the bad actors and demand all project teams be fully transparent on their identities. My belief is it may hinder growth in this space as project teams who have valid reasons to remain anonymous — such as a conflict of interest with their full-time jobs — will be discouraged from building great projects in the future.

I have real-world responsibilities which require me to remain gainfully employed. Working in TraFi — much of what we discuss in this space is contra to their business model. Using my real identity would inadvertently imply that my views represent my employer, and violate their their social media policy. I respect their rules, and using a pseudonym allows me to share my personal views while setting a clear boundary that I do not speak on behalf of my employer. I prioritize thoughtful and respectful engagement. Every tweet, DM, and post are sent with the expectation my identity will be discovered in the future, and I am proud of the presence I have built in this space.

There are many others in similar situations who wish to remain anonymous, and I believe we should support their decisions to do so.

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