Good Evening ... IMHO although research into the use of pseudonyms online is doubtless facilitated by the various online options available, I feel with respect that this is not strictu sensu an online phenomenon. In France, where the Minitel was flourishing over 15 years ago, virtual communication was commonplace and fairly revealing. What MAY BE worthy of attention is that, unlike anglo saxon common law traditions, outside the arts and writers in the wide sense of the term, the use of a pseudonym runs very much counter to established legal tradition, notably that based upon the Napoleonic code. Thus the way in which the continental pseudos are evolving is interesting. There is another point that may be worthy of attention. In several cases pseudonyms are used because the nominative email is not available or has been taken by someone else so John Smith MUST resort to pseudonyms. This shows as much the structural influence of current Internet environment as any precise predeliction. With IPv6 however, much may change, notably with the use of visuals rather than a written sobriquet. my 2 cents regards Jonathan air-l@listserv.aoir.org,Internet a écrit:

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Hello All,

My advisors and I are conducting research on the identity management of online community members. I find some posts in this list very interesting and relevant. For example, last week or so, somebody posted a discussion regarding how people pick their nicknames online. We are studying various ways people manage (or negotiate) their identities and present themselves as who they are in the cyberspace.

Against the Neoliberal Tide: Media and Democracy in the 21st Century An International Conference of the Union for Democratic Communications November 3- 6, 2005, Boca Raton, Florida Hosted by the Department of Communication Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida Call for Participation Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2005 As people from nations around the world look to the prospect of self determination in a new century they are increasingly confronted with the social and economic ultimatums of for-profit transnational corporations. While the neoliberal agenda would have us believe that the market is a natural phenomenon, that agenda calls for the complete, no-holds-barred business domination of the media and almost every other human and natural resource, thus further jeopardizing the possibilities for democratic debate, dissent, and meaningful social change. The Union for Democratic Communications invites proposals for presentations, roundtables, workshops and panels from artists, activists, and media scholars that examine and critique the connections between the political, economic and cultural program of neoliberalism, labor and other social movements, artistic expression, media ownership and concentration, intellectual property, and democratic media. We especially seek submissions that explore community and global alternatives to neoliberalism, corporate globalization and other systems of domination. Featured speakers will be complemented by presenters on a wide range of topics, video and other media presentations, and tables with information about regional organizations involved in activism and democratic communications. The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn in Boca Raton, Florida, and hosted by the Department of Communication at Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton is on the Atlantic coast in south Palm Beach County, approximately 25 miles from both the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach airports, and 50 miles north of Miami. The temperature in November is in the seventies, and conference participants will have easy access to the beach and the tides of the Atlantic Ocean. Please send proposals of 200 to 250 words. Artists should include samples of the work they will be presenting in the form of slides, VHS tapes, CD-Roms, and DVDs. Please send three hard copies of your proposal, or an email with the proposal in the body of the email message, to: Stefanie Gapinski Comparative Studies Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters Florida Atlantic University 777 Glades Road Boca Raton, Florida 33431-0991 Gapinski@fau.edu Inquiries can be made to Mike Budd at mbudd@fau.edu, 561-297-3856, fax: 561-297-2615. For more information please visit the UDC Website: http://www.udc.org Limited conference travel funding assistance for student and low-income presenters will be available. Please send a request along with your proposal. Source : http://www.udc.org/conf2005/conf2005.html