Using group decision support systems (GDSS) as a backdrop, thispaper looks at the issues surrounding anonymity, with particularemphasis on how it may be achieved. Ensuring anonymity requires morethan simple encryption. Anonymity is viewed as a composite of threetypes of anonymity --environmental, content-based and procedural.Each type is investigated and procedures developed to improve theanonymity of the system. Behavioral and operational costs areidentified for each of the three types of anonymity. For somemeetings, the benefits of supporting anonymous communication may notjustify the costs. Mechanisms providing complete procedural anonymityin various system configurations are presented. It is shown that fiveseparate mechanisms can be used to provide procedural anonymity. Theimpact of relaxing each of these mechanisms is also investigated.Even though a system provides anonymity, participants may beskeptical. This skepticism ; can reduce the overall efficiency of thegroup. For this reason it is important to be able to convince groupsthat their comments are indeed anonymous. The issue of how toconvince individuals that their anonymity is secure is discussed anda partial solution to this problem is presented.
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