You don't need a more extreme example like dissidents or protesters to make a case for anonymity. Pseudonyms have been used by people to spark intellectual and

You don't need a more extreme example like dissidents or protesters to make a case for anonymity. Pseudonyms have been used by people to spark intellectual and political debate for hundreds (thousands?) of years. When people feel like they are the only one that espouses an idea, they are less likely to share it publicly for fear of shame. When they are given anonymity, they can share freely and potentially find that their idea is actually commonly shared.