* Introduction

Pseudonymity- a state of disguised identity. On one side of the debate are the world’s largest social network sites, including Facebook and Google+, with both services demanding that people use their real names and advocating the the push towards a “real name” Internet. On the other side of the debate are scholars such as sites such as 4chan and Reddit that view anonymity and pseudonymity as important to how people construct identity online. While much has been written about the benefits of anonymity and pseudonymity, there is a lack of published research examining specific practices enabled by pseudonyms.

* Objective

The objective of the proposed Special Issue is to highlight the specific issues and challenges around pseudonymity. Research contributions in this special issue will provide insights about the nature of pseudonymity in relation to technology. The contents in this special issue are of interest for researchers working in the domains of Internet security, online communities, e-participation, cyberculture, e-politics, e-society, sociology, cybercultures and multimedia studies, and cognitive science.

* Recommended Topics

The journal welcomes articles, dialogues, notes, book reviews and further comments thereon, in keeping with editorial policy, and areas of interest for this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

- Participation inequality; lurking, the free-rider problem
- Free speech; cyberbantering, cybertrickery, online activism
- Online harassment; cyberstalking, cyberbulling, porn e-vengers
- Online deception; grooming, cyberhickery, chatroom bobs
- Online Community moderation, perspectives on ‘don’t feed the troll’, blocking users (i.e. ban-hammering’)
- History of new media, Anonymous, the WELL, hacktivism

* Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this special theme issue on Pseudonymity. All submitted papers will be reviewed on a peer review basis. Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.

NB. Papers can be submitted any time before the deadline, as reviewing will take place throughout the period of the advertising of this call for papers. Successful papers for the special issue will be give a letter of approval so the authors can put their publication on their CVs.

* Important Dates

- Abstract Deadline: 15 January 2019
- Submission Deadline: 15 February 2019
- Notification Due: 15 March 2019
- Final Version: 30 April 2019

All submissions and inquiries should be directed to the attention of:

Councillor Jonathan Bishop LLM
E-mail: jonathan.bishop@crocels.ac.uk
Centre for Research into Online Communities and E-Learning Systems