The Meaning of Anonymity in The Surveillance Era

With a pandemic spreading through the world, we are seeing thoughtless relinquishing of both our physical and digital freedoms. Some are warning that increased surveillance during the coronavirus outbreak may lead to a permanent erosion of civil liberties. The internet is becoming less free, with increased online election interference and increased government surveillance “spreading on social media platforms” The 2019 Freedom of the Net report revealed that of the 40 countries examined, 89 percent of internet users, or nearly 3 billion people, are subject to instituted and advanced social media surveillance programs.