--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's always going to be a tradeoff…" description: "\"There's always going to be a tradeoff between trolling and anonymity, and I guess that's the way life will be. And you can manage it, but you can't cur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tim-wu-7845_anonymity_there-s-always-going-to-be-a-tradeoff-be_2941477.png" --- # There's always going to be a tradeoff between trolling and… ![“There's always going to be a tradeoff between trolling and anonymity, and I guess that's the way life will be. And you can manage it, but you can't cure it.” quote by Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tim-wu-7845_anonymity_there-s-always-going-to-be-a-tradeoff-be_2941477.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tim-wu-7845_anonymity_there-s-always-going-to-be-a-tradeoff-be_2941477.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/tim-wu-7845_anonymity_there-s-always-going-to-be-a-tradeoff-be_2941477.png) > “There's always going to be a tradeoff between trolling and anonymity, and I guess that's the way life will be. And you can manage it, but you can't cure it.” [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anonymity enables trolling but also creates trade‑offs; it can be managed but not eliminated. **In simple terms:** Anonymity brings both freedom and risk. Key Takeaway Balance anonymity with responsibility. Themes anonymity online behavior trade‑offs Mood analytical concerned Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - social media platforms - online forums Key Concepts digital ethics internet culture Questions to Reflect On - How can platforms mitigate trolling? - What responsibilities come with anonymity? A Different Perspective Complete anonymity is impossible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anonymity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) [Anonymity Guess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity-guess-4387102/) [Cures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cures/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Manage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manage/) [Tradeoff Trolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradeoff-trolling-4387101/) [Trolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trolling/) [Trolling Anonymity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trolling-anonymity-4387100/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [There is this inherent human instinct that the usual way you control trolling is you force people to use their real identities. So there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/there-is-this-inherent-human-instinct-that-the-usual-way-you-control/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Trolling is an ancient problem. It's been around as long as there has been media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/trolling-is-an-ancient-problem-it-s-been-around-as-long-as-there-has/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I would like all the trolls to look at their bodies instead of trolling others. What is ironic is the fact that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-penty/i-would-like-all-the-trolls-to-look-at-their-bodies-instead-of/) [Diana Penty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-penty/) > [Trolling is a cyber-crime, and if you are caught for it, you cannot run away by saying that it is your opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/trolling-is-a-cyber-crime-and-if-you-are-caught-for-it-you-cannot-run/) [Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/) > [I want to use the best technology we have at our disposal to begin to take on trolling and other nefarious tactics that give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cohen/i-want-to-use-the-best-technology-we-have-at-our-disposal-to-begin-to/) [Jared Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cohen/) > [There's something behind the decision to choose to lash out at a woman. The answer to how to fix internet trolling is like fixing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/there-s-something-behind-the-decision-to-choose-to-lash-out-at-a/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [“On the one hand, Meepsheep tells me worss on the Internet never hurr anyone. On the other hand, hecsays, 'At around age sixteen, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-gorman/on-the-one-hand-meepsheep-tells-me-worss-on-the-internet-never-hurr/) [Ginger Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-gorman/) > [I didn't ever get a huge amount of trolling on my YouTube channel. I just had a really nice fan base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/i-didn-t-ever-get-a-huge-amount-of-trolling-on-my-youtube-channel-i/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [ The thing about Donald \[Trump\] is the jokes write themselves. I don't even think of it to be trolling. What he says is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/the-thing-about-donald-trump-is-the-jokes-write-themselves-i-don-t/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [A round of applause for the bitch that unfriended me & is now trolling my page from their friends Facebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey/a-round-of-applause-for-the-bitch-that-unfriended-me-is-now-trolling/) [Mickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey/) > [The good and bad thing about online trolling: it's not on the street, and it's not on the street! The good: nothing physical erupts;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/the-good-and-bad-thing-about-online-trolling-it-s-not-on-the-street/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [Trolling can be a great way to engage with the world, a way to regain self-esteem and happiness, or, dare I say it, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/limmy/trolling-can-be-a-great-way-to-engage-with-the-world-a-way-to-regain/) [Limmy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/limmy/) > [ The artistic desire reveals itself in dark form - in karaoke bars \[or\] trolling on the Internet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-ha-kim/the-artistic-desire-reveals-itself-in-dark-form-in-karaoke-bars-or/) [Young-Ha Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-ha-kim/) > [Before 'trolling' was a phenomenon with a well-known name, PETA had perfected it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/before-trolling-was-a-phenomenon-with-a-well-known-name-peta-had/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [I have been subjected to what can only be described as an unrelenting onslaught of comments and commentary and trolling online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/i-have-been-subjected-to-what-can-only-be-described-as-an-unrelenting/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) ## More by Tim Wu > [Google has - at least at this point - maintained the line where it keeps organic results separate from the advertisements. But over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-has-at-least-at-this-point-maintained-the-line-where-it-keeps/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [When you pay for stuff, it has more of your interests in heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/when-you-pay-for-stuff-it-has-more-of-your-interests-in-heart/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“JUST WHAT IS GOOGLE? In 1902, the New York Telephone Company opened the world’s first school for “telephone girls.” It was an exclusive institution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/just-what-is-google-in-1902-the-new-york-telephone-company-opened-the/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“When we speak of living environments and their effects on us, then, we are often speaking too broadly—of the city, the countryside, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/when-we-speak-of-living-environments-and-their-effects-on-us-then-we/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Now, he doesn't control the media, but Donald Trump has been incredibly successful in having his face appear everywhere. You cannot go a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/now-he-doesn-t-control-the-media-but-donald-trump-has-been-incredibly/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [The best antidote to the disruptive power of innovation is overregulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/the-best-antidote-to-the-disruptive-power-of-innovation-is/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“In 1956, two psychologists, Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, would conclude that television’s representation of celebrities was carefully constructed to create an “illusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/in-1956-two-psychologists-donald-horton-and-richard-wohl-would/) [tim wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [“Markets are born free, yet no sooner are they born than some would-be emperor is forging chains. Paradoxically,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/markets-are-born-free-yet-no-sooner-are-they-born-than-some-would-be/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I want to say, however, one thing our media in America has done which didn't happen in other totalitarian states is it has very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-want-to-say-however-one-thing-our-media-in-america-has-done-which/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Advertising just keeps getting heavier and heavier and heavier. It doesn't have any natural limit, and we haven't found the place for the limit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/advertising-just-keeps-getting-heavier-and-heavier-and-heavier-it/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I wish more of the web had stayed nonprofit. But the advertising model took over and I think has delivered us to where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-wish-more-of-the-web-had-stayed-nonprofit-but-the-advertising-model/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [There's always people - it doesn't take many - who have a different psychological makeup than most of us who really get joy out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/there-s-always-people-it-doesn-t-take-many-who-have-a-different/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [In the media, traditional media like print, we had boundaries. You know, we had spaces that ads didn't leave. They stayed where they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/in-the-media-traditional-media-like-print-we-had-boundaries-you-know/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Google - and some of the other sites, YouTube and, you know - Google has an amazing search engine. The map product is incredible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-and-some-of-the-other-sites-youtube-and-you-know-google-has-an/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [One thing that all the totalitarian states did was make the great leader's face everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/one-thing-that-all-the-totalitarian-states-did-was-make-the-great/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) [Explore all 87 Tim Wu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) ## More Anonymity quotes > [For me, getting comfortable with being famous was hard - that whole side of it, the loss of anonymity, the loss of privacy. Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/for-me-getting-comfortable-with-being-famous-was-hard-that-whole-side/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I value my anonymity. I'm happy to come in on the tube or the train and watch other people reading 'Fifty Shades.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/i-value-my-anonymity-i-m-happy-to-come-in-on-the-tube-or-the-train/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/the-internet-s-perfect-for-all-manner-of-things-but-productive/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Both multiplayer games and online forums have this property of virtual anonymity. Other people can't really see you; they don't really know who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sweeney/both-multiplayer-games-and-online-forums-have-this-property-of/) [Tim Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sweeney/) > [People feel they can say nasty things and have anonymity behind the net - as they did with all the nasty comments about me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/people-feel-they-can-say-nasty-things-and-have-anonymity-behind-the/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Anonymity would be a fantastic umbrella. I don't like intrusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anonymity-would-be-a-fantastic-umbrella-i-don-t-like-intrusion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wouldn't want to even try to begin to describe our customer, as I think she likes a certain amount of anonymity. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/i-wouldn-t-want-to-even-try-to-begin-to-describe-our-customer-as-i/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [Most members of Gamergate, the alt-right movement best known for harassing women in the game industry, operate under a veil of anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/most-members-of-gamergate-the-alt-right-movement-best-known-for/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [I came from anonymity, and I will continue to write as a private pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/i-came-from-anonymity-and-i-will-continue-to-write-as-a-private/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [The problem with losing your anonymity is that you can never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-maples/the-problem-with-losing-your-anonymity-is-that-you-can-never-go-back/) [Marla Maples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-maples/) > [Human beings are not meant to lose their anonymity and privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chalke/human-beings-are-not-meant-to-lose-their-anonymity-and-privacy/) [Sarah Chalke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chalke/) > [Privacy is important to me. But it's not just about sticking two fingers up and saying I don't want anyone to know my business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/privacy-is-important-to-me-but-it-s-not-just-about-sticking-two/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [Anonymity, in some cases a key civil liberty, also enables society's worst actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil-wheaton/anonymity-in-some-cases-a-key-civil-liberty-also-enables-society-s/) [Wil Wheaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil-wheaton/) [Browse all 285 Anonymity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's always going to be a tradeoff between trolling and anonymity, and I guess that's the way life will be. 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