Forum anonymity

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

I have found an article today about how before internet, if you were to comment on some article in printed newspaper, you were asked to prove your identity and address to this particulate newspaper redaction before publishing.

The reasoning for that was the fact that the newspaper was responsible for any information (or disinformation) published in it, including readers comments or opinions (which were treated as such ), and could and would stand before Court for any disinformation or slander.

I also learn that the right for free speech comes only together with the name and identity, to express your opinions you have to be a person.

Well it makes sense to me, there is no responsibility taken (donā€™t get me wrong, you might feel responsible, but it is just not the same as real responsibility taken) in anonymous comments and opinions.
But still, comment sections and forums influence, let as say, global consciousness; it is enormous task that was historically done by people with names, and is now put at the disposal of ā€¦ i donā€™t know, subconscious ā€œghostsā€ that live in all of us.
It is now similar to talking in your head to your self, you can say what ever you feel you wanna say in that particular moment, but this time you are actually shaping the realty.

I donā€™t know, it is hard to describe the horror i see in it, and possible consequences.

Yours,

Anonymous :wink:

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#3

People have been exercising their right to anonymous/pseudonymous free speech for hundreds of years thanks to affordable access to the printing press.

This phenomenon predates the internet.

This is the supposed opinion of the writer you read. This is not how many philosophers and thinkers would frame this idea. You donā€™t gain freedom by giving up some other freedom or using your identity as collateral; inalienable rights are not granted by another man or a governing body, etc.

Much of what you just wrote sounds like a classic dystopian novel.

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#4

Oh no, I feel like a fraud now. Iā€™ve been living one huge internet lie.

I am reallyā€¦Elvis Presley.

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#5

Hence the rise of disinformation and the ā€˜Idiotā€™ AKA ā€˜Celebrityā€™.

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#6

just relax & wait.
there will be no anonymity and no privacy in a few years. (maybe a decade or two)
internet as we used to know it coming to its end.

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#7

I might consider it if forum administrators were willing to do likewise.

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#8

Yes i can, but why would i identify anything to anonymous avatar? Maybe your request is a good example related to the problem.

#9

I donā€™t know, i think it is related to public media, not personal agenda. You can wright books and what not and be anonymous.
Actually, the article was related to on-line newspaper comment sections, not forums or youtube comment sections.
I was just wondering after that if people would debate differently on forums under their real names.

#10

A huge part of using the internet is learning the ability to filter out bullshit, I like to think most of us are significantly smarter for having unlimited access to information in our pocket because weā€™ve grown up with it and can filter out the bullshit. Nan on the other hand canā€™t use the computer without breaking it. The people who are unable to filter out bullshit get removed from the system pretty quickly, the rest of us undoubtedly take in some amount of bias or lies as truth but nonetheless are much better off due to the sheer volume of information we consume. Itā€™s up to you to figure out what to listen to

Plus if you get your news from newspapers thatā€™s way more likely to be biased than an anonymous forum online, regardless any type of media large enough will be paid to form a narrative and people are easily led, everybodyā€™s got an agenda. You can listen to peopleā€™s opinions but again, itā€™s on you to form your own

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#11

Its a very serious subject. Especially with internet bullying from faceless identities is so common that can destroy other peoples lives.

1 Like
#12

i really feel like the age of anonymity online was much more so pre-facebook. facebook really ushered in this era of sort of, an online identity linked to your real identity. i think that is an internet most people are familiar with. in any case the prompt for a ā€˜usernameā€™ in and of itself encourages a made up name, as opposed to your real name. and there are some forums and things online, certain film or photography websites where people are encouraged to use real names. as you say thereā€™s more accountability there, but it can be good too for networking and things like that. more and more over the years iā€™ve used names attributed to my actual self, i guess for promotional purposes or to string together a common thread. its good to be accountable and take on some of that responsibility, and sort of, keep your actions online in check

#13

Iā€™ve seen some terribly rude and offensive people in public spaces. Iā€™ve also been the victim of senseless violence where I had to defend my life.

Knowing the names of these lessor filth would not have prevented them from being nasty and destructive.

#14

They can be prosecuted if they have an id. Its a deterrent. Yes there are some who dont care. But the vast majority dont want to go to prison.

#15

I could have died and clearly that wasnā€™t deterrent enough to prevent the unprovoked attack.

The vast majority donā€™t attack people either.

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#16

Sorry to hear that. Some people are evil.

#17

And therein lies the issue.

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#18

Circumstances make people do evil staff, it is a well known fact. There was an experiment actually with involving regular people. Prisoners and guards. Did not end up very well. .

#19

Circumstances do not pardon one from personal responsibility.

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#20

If you really believe that by using a handle rather than your real name affords you any anonymity unless you take lots of precautions (even then it is debatable) then you are mistaken Iā€™m afraid.

If a third party wants to find out who you really are in most cases it is shockingly simple.

#21

now the V.P.N boys are moving in.