Behind the Mask: Why Facebook’s Anonymous Feature Hurts Montana Businesses.

Here in Big Sky Country, we do business with a handshake, a smile, and our names attached. That’s why Facebook’s new “anonymous posting” feature is ruffling feathers across Montana.

On the surface, it seems harmless. But in practice? It’s giving people a free pass to toss out snarky remarks and half-truths without any accountability. One anonymous comment calling a boutique “overpriced” or a tack shop “dishonest” can plant doubt faster than sagebrush rolling across the prairie. And for small businesses in towns like Dillon, Bozeman, and Butte, reputation is everything.

Montana businesses thrive on connection. We know our shop owners, our baristas, our jewelers. When a real person recommends a store on Facebook, it’s genuine. It says, “I trust them—you should too.” Take away the names, and that trust fades right along with it.

Out here, word-of-mouth is still our best advertising. But word-of-mouth works because it comes from people, not blank profiles. If Facebook keeps pushing anonymous posting, they’re chipping away at the very thing that makes our Montana businesses shine: authenticity.

At the end of the day, we don’t need nameless comments to build stronger communities. We need honesty, loyalty, and the courage to stand behind our words. Because under this big sky, reputation still means something—and Montana businesses deserve to be known, not second-guessed.