During the summer of 2008, “Anna Mayer” was getting ready to begin
her fi rst semester in graduate school. In her spare time, she wrote a
pseudonymous blog about her weight struggles, body ac cep tance, and
other personal issues. She enjoyed interacting with her readers and commenting
on other blogs; it provided a support system and sounding
board for her ideas.
Before school began, she searched her name and found posts describing
her as a “stupid, ugly fat whore” who “couldn’t take a hint from a
man.” Anonymous posters listed her e-mail address, phone number, and
dating site profi les. She received e-mails warning that the authors knew
where she lived. Posters “outed” her as the author of her pseudonymous
blog, taunting that the “confessions she’s made about her pitiful fat fucking
self are now blasted across teh [sic] Internet.”