Social Media and the Online Disinhibiting Effect; Disinhibition in Cyberspace; Anomie and Abuse

Anonymity and anomie

This topic was touched upon by Rabbi Lord Sacks during the Andrew Marr show (from 34.00 minute point) this morning, in relation to evidence of abuse and anomie on social media such as Twitter in an "age of anger driven by social media" and the "disinhibition effect", when some people feel that they can be much ruder electronically than they can be face-to-face.

Here is some research from Dr. John Suler from 2004 (pdf)

Online anonymity and the split personality, NBC News - "People who’d never say something horrible in real life will do it again and again and again online".