The disinhibition effect describes online anonymity leading people to act in ways they would not in face-to-face interactions.

• A. Online anonymity can cause people to say or do things they would not in person.
• B. Online anonymity always leads to more civil behavior.
• C. There is no effect of anonymity online.
• D. Anonymity guarantees privacy that prevents any risk.

Answer: (A)

Online disinhibition happens when anonymity and the absence of immediate social feedback make people feel freer to express thoughts or engage in actions they wouldn’t in person. That explains why online anonymity can lead someone to say or do things they would not in face-to-face interactions—the environment lowers typical social and ethical restraints, sometimes promoting harsher comments or riskier disclosures, and other times enabling more candid sharing. It isn’t a guarantee of civility, and behavior online can swing toward either more respectful or more hostile depending on context. There is a real effect, so saying there’s none isn’t accurate, and anonymity doesn’t guarantee privacy or eliminate risk—the identity might still be discoverable and other harms can occur.