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Explaining the “Burnerverse” and how generative AI enters into that divisive online world.
Have you ever heard of the Burnerverse? You might not recognize the moniker, but you intuitively know what it is. In brief, Burnerverse is said to be any online social media or Internet chatter-based community that stridently relies on anonymity. Being anonymous is the crux of the matter. Participants in a Burnerverse go out of their way to try and ensure that no one knows who they are. This is considered an upfront proposition, namely that rather than necessarily trying to pretend to be someone in particular and trick others into thinking you are this or that person, the participants openly proclaim their anonymity. Furthermore, they do not want their true identity to be known or discovered. The aim is to hopefully remain fully anonymous.
Does that seem ominous and underhanded? Maybe, maybe not. The counterargument is that by being anonymous, the participants can freely express themselves and not worry about societal repercussions. Sometimes the banner of truth is held high in the air as a claim that without anonymity the postings and discussions would be marred by desires to cave to conventional conventions. It seems that in the real world of showcasing your name, you take mighty risks if veering outside the prevailing cultural norms.
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I’d like you to consider and mull over a seemingly straightforward question on this. Why not have a meeting place online that purports to promote openness and encourages such a vaunted aim by declaring that it is perfectly fine to be anonymous? This stands to reason. Share as you wish. You are not bound by any threat of reputational tarnishing. You can speak your mind. No holds barred. A seeming huge relief for our watch-your-tongue modern times.
Of course, just as we often have difficulty dealing properly with shiny new toys, the danger is that anonymity will foster the posting of falsehoods, outrageous accusations, utter nonsense, and libelous remarks. Generally, it could end up being a torrid hot mess. Speaking of shiny new toys, get ready for something that might be a bit of a surprise, though I would think not an out-of-this-world surprise. Turns out that generative AI and large language models (LLMs) tend to have a significant role in the Burnerverse. Voila, that’s my reason for covering the topic.
In today’s column, I’ll explain the ways that generative AI and large language models enter the grand picture of how the Burnerverse operates. Those who know about the latest in AI being used to aid and abet the Burnerverse insist that this raises serious AI ethics and potentially AI-related legal issues.
For my prior coverage on generative AI and its use in other gray areas such as the advent of deepfakes and cheap fakes, see the link here, the link here, and the link here, just to name a few.
Readers of my column asked me to comment on the matter of the Burnerverse and explain the nitty-gritty of what the kerfuffle is about. I have extensively covered the ins and outs of AI ethics and AI law, along with a range of AI trends in a wide variety of domains and uses, see the link here.
As a side note, the “Burnerverse” moniker has other meanings too, such as referring to certain online games or specific online groups, but please know that is not my focus here, thanks.
Let’s jump right into the matter at hand. Diving Deeply Into The Burnerverse
There are numerous definitions associated with the word “Burnerverse” and you can readily find a slew of them via a web search. I decided to undertake a dialogue with ChatGPT, the popular generative AI app that has reportedly over 100 million weekly active users, and asked what definition could encompass the usage I am discussing herein. Here’s what ChatGPT came up with: “The term ‘Burnerverse’ has several meanings and can include referring to a specific context in social media and online communities, particularly around the use of ‘burner accounts.’ Burner accounts are temporary, anonymous accounts that users create to post content without revealing their true identities.
