Why would someone want to be anonymous then? There might be a situation in which someone has interesting information to disclose but revealing even a pseudonym is too much information (see Why Not to Spread Ideas in the History section of this site). However, in this case the author might have difficulty gaining trust because his information is not as credible without a known, reliable source. Of course, because a pseudonym does not allow the actual author to be pinpointed, there is still an ambiguity, and this ambiguity reduces credibility. To augment credibility, then, the author must build trust under the pseudonym, probably by posting other compelling and reliable information.Interestingly, complete anonymity actually serves a different purpose than pseudonymity. Anonymity is used for actions, like robbing a bank, posting a sign, or visiting a web site; pseudonymity is necessary for communication, allowing the back-and-forth exchange of ideas or a consistent identity to foster understanding.