Online Anonymity and Contents Credibility: Challenges and Opportunity

This study explores online anonymity and the perceived credibility of
online contents with a focus on the challenges and opportunities
particularly in this digital communication era. The paper is anchored
on Source Credibility Theory and Uses and Gratifications Theory. A
cross-sectional quantitative research method was employed while the
data collection instrument was structured questionnaire using to elicit
responses from 317 respondents who were simple randomly selected
from Mass Communication Department of Osun State Polytechnic,
Iree. The study found that majority of the respondents nearly 80% often
encounter anonymous contents, while, substantial number of the
respondents over 73% disagree that anonymity increase trust. Equally,
52.7% of the respondents maintain that anonymous contents is less
credible than content with known authors or sources. Correspondently,
Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient further stressed a negative
correlation (rₛ = -0.9788); revealing that as anonymity increases, the
online credibility decreases too. The study, therefore, recommended
that integrating verified anonymity tools, promoting digital literacy,
encouraging proper source citation, and guiding the strategic use of
anonymity for sensitive discourse not only in Nigeria but globally.