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Consensus Rewind: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Pseudonymity

What if the shift toward pseudonymity in Web3 marks not a new dawn but a return to a more traditional mode of being, ...
CoinDesk Reports
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According to Merriam-Webster, “pseudonymity” is the fact or state of being signed with a pseudonym, and a pseudonym is a fictitious name.

Tasheme Thomas, also known to some as Default Friend, is an internet historian who talks about the difference between pseudonymity and anonymity

She breaks down the history of pseudonymity throughout different time periods, from the start of authors writing books under fake names, to its evolution to people existing in various digital spaces under a false or different identity. She breaks down why people have reverted back to this way of disguising themselves.


The panel discussion took place on June 10, the second day of CoinDesk’s Consensus 2022 festival in Austin, Texas.

The executive producer for CoinDesk Reports is Jared Schwartz. Nia Freeman edited this episode.

Consensus Rewind: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Pseudonymity