Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.
Over the years, anonymity has proved one of the greatest gifts that A.A. offers the suffering alcoholic. Without it, many would never attend their first meeting. Although the stigma has lessened to some degree, most newcomers still find admission of their alcoholism so painful that it is possible only in a protected environment. Anonymity is essential for this atmosphere of trust and openness.
Anonymity at the Personal Level
Anonymity at the Public Level
We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity, is the greatest safeguard that Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have. We ask that everyone – whether you are a friend, family member, or member of the community – honour this principle by refraining from identifying any individual as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous in any public or private context.
On a personal level, A.A. as a whole seeks to ensure that individual members stay as private and protected as they wish, or as open as they wish, about belonging to the Fellowship.
People new to A.A. often feel vulnerable and afraid of being exposed as an alcoholic. If you see someone you know in a meeting, you don’t need to ask them to protect your anonymity; they are there for the same, or similar, reasons. They will generally respect your privacy and you, in turn, should respect theirs.
This is a personal matter. However, the spirit of the programme is one of sharing and a recent study of A.A. members shows that a high proportion of them joined the Fellowship through another member. Before reaching a decision about such matters, most members find it helpful to discuss them with their sponsor or A.A. friends.
A.A. is not a secret society and carrying the message of hope so that others may find recovery is part of our Twelfth Step. However, anonymity at the level of the press, radio, TV, film/video and other public forms of the Internet and social media platforms is crucial to our continuing sobriety and growth — at both the personal and group levels.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.
Find out how to protect your anonymity and other A.A. members when you’re online.
How to protect anonymity when reporting on Alcoholics Anonymous or with A.A. members.