Anonymity as a catalyst for good: Linking social media anonymity to prosocial behavior

Social media anonymity is associated with cyberbullying and aggressive behavior. By the same token, such anonymity can promote positive outcomes. The study examines the relationships between users' anonymity and their prosocial behaviors. Social fairness and subjective well-being are modeled as mediators, with online justice as the moderator. Four studies were undertaken to examine these relationships. Studies 1 and 2 examined the relationship between social media anonymity and online prosocial behavior. Study 3 investigated the mediating effects of social fairness and subjective well-being, as well as the moderating influence of online justice. Study 4 collected real data from social media platforms to validate these findings. This study contributes to the literature on social media anonymity and positive psychology by revealing the positive impact of social media anonymity on consumers' prosocial behavior. These findings offer valuable insights for platform managers to optimize their strategies by harnessing the benefits of anonymity to foster a more prosocial and inclusive online community.