Wiki: Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects

The SIDE model came about as a critique of the deindivuation theory, which explained that people, when thrown into a crowd, behave differently than a rational person would.  This theory was applied to the computer media in the early 1990s.  The idea is that, due to the reduction of face-to-face social interaction, people behave on websites in ways that they would not engage in otherwise.  This is possible because of the anonymity that the internet provides.  People rely on anonymity in order to feel safe and protected at times.  However, this anonymity can go too far and can have profound effects on one's social identity.