Abstract :
The Internet might never have developed into a free and open forum in the US countries and many other democracies if users weren´t guaranteed at least some level of anonymity. However, under the current legal framework used by most courts, that anonymity is elusive for many types of online behavior. California´s new approach to anonymity recognizes the longstanding need for privacy that´s fundamental to online life. Courts in the US and other nations can and should learn from California´s approach and recognize anonymity as a fundamental right to privacy.