Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Revealing Bloggers' Identities

There's an unwritten rule - well, maybe it is written somewhere - that the worst thing one can do is to expose the identity of a blogger or commenter. You may know it, you may share that knowledge with others, and you may even tell him you know who he is, but never, ever, ever, announce that online. The reason given is that it kills the whole concept of blogging. If a blogger/commenter knows that his identity will be plastered all over the internet for all see he'd never write in the first place. Obviously, those that use their real name have no qualms about being identified or harassed for their opinions, but we don't speak of them, we speak of those that don't wish to make all their views known, for whatever reason. I'm somewhere in the middle when it comes to my identity; I don't mind if those that know me know that I publish Circus Tent, but it's those whom I don't know, those that send nasty anonymous e-mails that worry me. I'm also uncomfortable with people knowing me and sending me nasty e-mails and messages, yet I have no clue who they are. One of the non-perks (for lack of a better term) of blogging is that so-called friends stab you in the back. They're jealous for some reason and shoot their mouths off to that effect.

Which leads me to my current problem. After some research, and some Holmesian methods of deduction, I believe - with the help of a friend - I've stumbled across the identity of a certain commenter here. He may not be known to some of you, but he's been sending me nasty e-mails making claims that I KNOW he has NO knowledge of. The idea, I guess, is to intimidate me, and stop from from writing about certain issues in the news, as if what I write will affect the issue somehow. He seems to be somebody I know, and he's been stupid enough to drop hints as to his identity, lucky for me. I never bother to find out people's identity, simply because I have neither the time nor the patience for it, not to mention the knowledge to track an IP address. Also, if I start doing that I'll surely lose readers, even as it is it's difficult to get comment writers to use fictitious names when commenting, all they do is use "anonymous." Imagine what will happen when they find out I track their computer usage. So, my question is: do I approach this character and tell him to cut it out immediately, or is that taking it too far, seeing that he too can take retribution and announce my name to all?

Your input is appreciated, and I mean all of you.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loz em gayn kaken en yam araan.

Camp Runamok said...

You could set your account so only registered Blogger users can comment. You then force any anonymous user to take on a fixed pseudonym and leave an IP trail. Blogger could certainly help you track down any harassers.

Figure that someone wanting to leave constructive commentary will not have a problem taking on a fixed identity. A dreck-flinging monkey, however, will go hide back in the trees where he belongs.

Anonymous said...

tzig,

anonymity is a figment of one's imagination. anybody who is anybody can put two and two together and figure out whatever there is to figure out. so if the man is really harassing you in private, why not let him know ? Given, of course, that there is no chashash of halbunas punim, onoas dvorim and all the other stuff that we'd rather not do, or at least pretend so.

semi-anonymity is no fun; for example about half your readers know exactly who U' N' is, and so does U' N'; the other half is symmetrically ignorant, or at least pretends to be.

Anonymous said...

my 2 cents: Ban him form the blog and have nothing to do with the creep. When someone crosses this line, you never know how nuts they really are...

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

U N

Half the readers know? c'mon now, you know that's not true. Why even I have racked my brain for a while to figure out who you are. But to no avail!!!

Besides, if they know why shouldn't I?

Anonymous said...

tzig
there are not to many LUbs in Monsey area , I mean ,there is a Kehile of BTs, and it won't be so hard to find out your identity and you are giving many hints, Spinka, vechulu
it is like you say, the big problem is about your LUbs friends, that may easily identify you. A snag from Lakewood or honkey from Brooklyn or a Satmar from Monroe or Williams, is not going to put energy in this harrasing shtus. They just want to scare you. Just tell him, if you have a problem and you know me, call me and we talk, or make youw own blog

Guravitzer said...

Nah, Tzig, leave him be. If he gets to you delete his emails.

Anonymous said...

Do you know the story of B'rer Rabbit and the tar baby?

Anonymous said...

curious to know which issue has raised somebodys hackles

generally this stuff goes with the territory

i agree with berl give em the old heave ho like bob grant = get off my phone you jerk

Anonymous said...

Come on, it may make you a better tzig but will it make you a better chusid ?

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

It may make me a better chusid since I'll put a face to your name and I won't harbor any ill feelings towards you, just like when I met Tzemach for the first time.

So, how about it?

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

Most Lubavitchers here that are into blogs etc. know who I am, I'm not concerned about them.

Anonymous said...

hey
maybe is Tzemach!

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

it's not, believe me.

Mottel said...

I want to see a pic of Tzigele and U'N' shaking hands . . . I'll take it on my camera for them too.

Anonymous said...

Is it Fruity?

Anonymous said...

tell us about your first meeting with tzemach. was it as bad as you could think?

Anonymous said...

Ignore him and he'll go away.

Anonymous said...

And, remaim anonymous or you may find yourself losing courage to address sticky issues.

Anonymous said...

If it's someone from the CB crowd, RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

I'm not Mekabel that last piece of Loshon Horah about CB. Why would I need to "run for the hills?"

chchick said...

You've met TZEMACH? I think I'm jealous. I've always wondered what that creep was about.

I dunno about everyone else, but I've always enjoyed finding blogs by Lubavs and it's especially entertaining if I think I know who they are. And at this point, I know who you are. I stumbled upon your identity quite by accident.

You have nothing to fear from me. I respect bloggers anonymity. It's the name of the game. I'd keep an eye out for slashed tires, dead cats in the yard and other subtle hints like that if I were you. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about a little (or a lot) of email intimidation. Rest assured they're not coming from this direction.

Chazak V'ametz!

Anonymous said...

Well, I still don't know who you are...

Anonymous said...

Ok, I admit it. I was me.


:-)

Anonymous said...

the truth emerges in the last sentence of your blog.
you don't have the courage to 'out' anyone when the price would be that your identity too may be revealed!
so don't waste peoples time with hypotheticals!

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

I'll try not to waste your precious time. I did say that I'd only approach him, not that I'd out him on the blog, right? good.

Anonymous said...

If bloggers conceal their identity, what makes a blog any different than a "pashkvil", that the Rebbe said one is not allowed to read?

Anonymous said...

anonymous 2:12:00 PM,
The Rebbe once used the expression (I heard it with my own ears but I do not remember the date) "a hechasmenter pashkvil". So if the blog is a begeder pashkvil, using the real name will not help one bit.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand the issue here.
You have posted publicly one-sided dirt on quite a few people and are chickening out because a few nasty but private e-mails????

What right do you have, Torahdig and mentlichdig to publish one sided dirt against Yeshiva R'Chaim Berlin?
What right do you have to publish one-sided dirt against R'Goldwasser?
What right do you have to mock R'Yaakov Kaminetzky?
And many more....
Funny that you have nasty things to say about Yudel Shain, but, see that man has the courage to state his case of which he is usually right, btw. using his own name! While you hide behide your anonymity to 'defend' and 'attack' make believe 'enemies'.
I''ll trust anybody who will state his name over an anonymous blogger!

I'm adding this as an idea:Why not blog about some financial advice since that is your occupation:Why not give us some stock tips or lead a discussion on such topics?Why does everything in this blog need to be about bashmutzing another Jew?

Anonymous said...

more on 'pashkvil':
To lampoon and criticize anyone in public whether it is done under one's real name or a pen name is not permitted. However, on this particular blog it's really לצנותא דע"ז and that is permitted.

Anonymous said...

ari.b, please be fair:
There was NO mockery of R. Yakov Kaminetzky here; tzig posted a link to a stupid story told by Shlomo Lorence in a printed book; tzig further stated that he didn't believe the story (an opinion which was supported by Yosef Dov's account of his own conversation with R. Yakov). Were do you detect mockery?
I did not follow the CB stories here, sorry, but on Goldwasser there is a link to a public letter sent out by R Motel Lifshits about the account.

Anonymous said...

many times being anonymous has more credibility because when a name is associated to the news aleh groiseh chachomim claim to know the pniah and this is why he opened his mouth and it seems to put a dampner on a story that may have much vaidity. Thats why we needed to be told receive the truth for what its worth. Many times the truth is tainted by the name behind the truth.

also a very real chashash as we all know is the nekomoh usually taken on the guy who opens his fat mouth.

Unfortunatley most normal people have lost trust in Bais Din etc. the only recourse left is to shame them into doing what right and even then no one give a flying s***.

by the way I kind of miss Tzemach. anyone want to take up his mission and start a blog??? and Then tzig will once again be justified for his wonderful; blog.

Tzemach did get us thinking in many ways, cmon give the man some credit.

Guravitzer said...

Tzemach did post many wonderful pictures, created a place for those who have some place in their heart for Lubavitch but still wanted to critisize, and certain people (such as berl, crown heights) did get us thinking and Tzemach was the host for that. Tzemach himself proved to be anti-intellectual in many ways. If you wish to say Tzemach pulled our heartstrings in many ways, that might be more accurate.

Lucky Wolf said...

I Don't either yet know who you are!

yitz said...

I honestly don't understand how a Jew can rightly think he can comment on something publicly but hide his name. In any case HaShem is well aware of who you are and who else do you fear more than He?

Won't anonymity ultimately lead to a p'gam in one's yirat shamayim?