[Question] How would YOU feel about totally non-anonymous internet?

[Dave]

I got an email from CNN that was an alert about a small plane crash that hit a house, probably killing a 1 year old and 13 year old. The mother in the house has survived, but the kids are still missing.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/09/us/connecticut-plane-crash/index.html

Read the comments section.

I know about the internet dickwad theory and think it applies here in spades. My question is: How would YOU feel about a totally non-anonymous internet where anything you posted would be attributed to your real name?

Personally, while I see the possibility of bad things - stalkers, etc. - I think the benefits probably outweigh the detriments. One of the things that the internet has done was to dumb down the discourse on every topic. While this wouldn't necessarily get rid of that, I believe that such things as the "MUSLIMS!" or "LIBERALS!" kind of utter crap that totally disallows anything even remotely resembling intelligent conversation. I think that if you say something you should be held accountable for this.

Thoughts?

 

[Espy]

I honestly don't think it would stop the horrible people from saying horrible things. If anything it would make them more likely to get in non-internet confrontations because, screw it, don't matter now.

 

[Chad Sexington]

Yeah, because the more-or-less non-anonymous Facebook is full of restraint, reason, and tolerance.

The internet hasn't dumbed down discourse on every topic; the people who held these views existed before the internet did. The internet has just made it really easy to hear them. And the Web 2.0 or You.0 or whatever the hell we called the social media revolution made everyone feel like their opinions mattered. Previous to this you were unlikely to be published without some kind of credibility, whether it was research backing you, or a degree saying you were qualified to speak in a certain matter or job experience. Now, everyone can publish, and they don't have to do work to publish, they just have to write down their already-held views and never think critically about them or feel challenged by them.

You want to stop dumb discourse on every topic on the internet? I've been saying it for a long time: get rid of the comments sections. Especially on news sites.[DOUBLEPOST=1376071037,1376070923][/DOUBLEPOST]Anyway, don't read the comments.

 

[sixpackshaker]

I read the comments more often than I read the articles.

There are too many real life trolls out there that would snitch anything you do to your boss. I've seen it done before.

 

[Ravenpoe]

I think the benefits probably outweigh the detriments.

Nope

 

[GasBandit]

Definitely not. As others mentioned, people post horrible things with their real name on facebook all the time. Removal of internet anonymity would be a great recipe for creeps chasing women offline.

Thing is, if you post something bad enough, you ARE held accountable. True internet anonymity, for most people (who don't use VPN services) is really a thin veneer, all smoke and mirrors. Your ISP knows who's on what IP when, and most happily fork over that info to the first lawyer/LEA to ask.

 

[PatrThom]

Part of the reason the Internet is as amazing as it is is because of the anonymity. Like Bill Cosby says about cocaine:

I asked a friend, 'What is it about cocaine that makes it so wonderful?' And he said 'Well, it intensifies your personality.' To which I responded, 'Yes, but what if you're an asshole?'

--Patrick

 

[Eriol]

There are too many real life trolls out there that would snitch anything you do to your boss. I've seen it done before.

That.

 

[Bowielee]

I'm fairly certain that I've been forced to give up enough of my privacy, thank you very much.

 

[Ravenpoe]

Ok, so I may have invoked my inner Charlie in my original posting (and it felt pretty good) mostly because I feel this is a complicated issue and I don't really know how best to articulate my thoughts on it.

Anonymity (even if, ultimately, it's a lie) is the cornerstone of what makes the internet such an amazing resource. It is the great equalizer, it's what allows the free flow of information. If anonymity were somehow abolished (I imagine through some sort of universal registration, which would be expensive as hell to set up, maintain, and even then there's the question of who's in charge of it) it would not stop stupid people from being stupid online. It would, however, open up the doors to even more cyber stalking, discrimination, and various other unsavory practices that come from people just plain not liking other people.

Say a website caters to heavily right wing republican user base (or heavily left wing democrat user base, whichever you prefer for this example, they'd both do it) and decides to start slowing down traffic from, or just outright blocking, users identified as left (or right) leaning. Or better examples of discrimination than this that I can't come up with at the moment.

Some people are dumb, I hate to have to break that to you. Universally taking away people's right to privacy isn't worth the chance that maybe some people will stop posting stupid shit (because most will keep doing it). If anonymous people posting stupid stuff in news story comments make you mad enough to want to take away privacy, I don't know what to say. Grow thicker skin, learn to let go, or just don't read the comments. We're living in the information age, when people are more capable than ever to express their opinion, whether others like it or not. I would say the good of this far far FAR outweighs the bad that comes from youtube comments.

 

[Anonymous]

What a terrible idea.

 

[Frank]

Looks at user name.

Sigh.

 

[PatrThom]

It would, however, open up the doors to even more cyber stalking, discrimination, and various other unsavory practices that come from people just plain not liking other people.

This right here is probably the best reason.

Put aside for a moment the possibility that people will treat your traffic differently based on content. Criticism, as a whole, will practically dry up. Defamation and libel lawsuits will proliferate like mosquitoes after a rainstorm. "Gangs" of loudmouths (they will band together for strength) will drown intelligent discourse under a torrent of ALL CAPS ZOMG U SHUD DIE. The ability to have a serious conversation about anything controversial will all but vanish.

The proponents of Real_ID or other mandatory deanonymization plans make the claim that if everyone is forced to display their real name/ID/info along with every comment, then this will likewise force/shame everyone into proper behavior. But, as anyone who has had to work with the public/retail/food service/law enforcement will tell you, it is exceedingly (and unfortunately) common, and even usual for someone to sign up for an appointment with an email/phone number, give you their credit card or other form of ID, or let you look them up in your frequent customer database, and then immediately begin to complain and treat you like absolute shit even though you now have access to their address, phone number, name, purchase history, prison records, or even the food they are about to eat. Merely forcing everyone to use their own name absolutely will do nothing to keep people from being assholes. The only people who will truly suffer from deanonymization are those people who require that anonymity lest they suffer retaliation or the chance of drowning under the flood of idiots.

I would be willing to lay money that the only reason anyone ever suggests "We should all give up our anonymity!" is because they wanted to retaliate against someone at some point but couldn't.

--Patrick

 

[Terrik]

I got an email from CNN that was an alert about a small plane crash that hit a house, probably killing a 1 year old and 13 year old. The mother in the house has survived, but the kids are still missing.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/09/us/connecticut-plane-crash/index.html

Read the comments section.

I know about the internet dickwad theory and think it applies here in spades. My question is: How would YOU feel about a totally non-anonymous internet where anything you posted would be attributed to your real name?

Personally, while I see the possibility of bad things - stalkers, etc. - I think the benefits probably outweigh the detriments. One of the things that the internet has done was to dumb down the discourse on every topic. While this wouldn't necessarily get rid of that, I believe that such things as the "MUSLIMS!" or "LIBERALS!" kind of utter crap that totally disallows anything even remotely resembling intelligent conversation. I think that if you say something you should be held accountable for this.

Thoughts?

The Chinese government wants to do something similar. Link every online ID with their Chinese national ID card. Surely such a thing would never be abused.

 

[Zappit]

Here's a solution. News sites could turn off comments, since every single one invariably devolves into nonsensical political posturing. Not discourse. Just crude, worthless commentary. That article about the one hundredth anniversary of the pumpkin festival in Anytown? Let's turn that into a rant about Bengahzi. Or how Bush destroyed the economy. Or let's blame black people for the world's troubles. Or how those pumpkins realize that knives can be just as dangerous as guns in the wrong hands.

 

[GasBandit]

Yeah, to be honest, I'm not sure why national/international news sites have comment sections. In a viewer count that size, it just guarantees the whaargarbl drowns out anything else.

 

[Ravenpoe]

Yeah, to be honest, I'm not sure why national/international news sites have comment sections. In a viewer count that size, it just guarantees the whaargarbl drowns out anything else.

Because this is Web 2.0! Comment everything! Synergize media! Buzzword!

 

[Bubble181]

The only people who will truly suffer from deanonymization are those people who require that anonymity lest they suffer retaliation or the chance of drowning under the flood of idiots.

Or for other reasons.
It's also a way of keeping specific things out of each other's way. If you were aware that everything you posted on line, anywhere, anytime would be seen/could be checked by your boss, how open and honest would you be? You think we'd still be able to have a conversation about the (ab)use of drugs? Or even alcohol?
How about children with strict parents who are struggling with questions? Your father's a right-wing anti-gay Bible belter, and you're struggling with your feelings for another boy - well, can't anonymously ask for help or information on the internet, 'cause daddy'll know right away!
What's that? You visited the bondage sub-section of Pornhub once? Well, sorry, but I just don't see you working out well as a kindergarten teacher.
You still like and occasionally listen to Disney songs?! You're a 16 year old guy! You're going to get bullied and picked on for that, and don't doubt for a second you'll be able to do it without anyone knowing.
You're 18, dating a 15-year-old, and want to know whether or not it's legal to boink him/her? You look up "pedophile laws" and "when can I boink a minor"? Get used to that totally-inconspicuous black van from the French Buttersticks In-home delivery!

And so on and so forth. The semi-anonymity allowed by the internet is one of the great equalizers and one of the best defenses of people with problems/questions they're afraid/ashamed to ask. True, complete, untraceable anonymity would be a horrible idea, but we do need some sort of anonymous layer.