4 ms·

This sounds like the same, completely failed argument for mandatory "real names" on google+ and facebook...

• sdenton4 10y ago
  This is the core problem. It's an engineering solution to a social problem. Real names won't keep trolls and racists from being trolls and racists, unless there's sufficient social pressure to keep them from behaving badly. Today's internet has large patches of social support for racists and trolls (stormfront, the alt-right, r/thedonald...), who certainly don't have any problem with saying horrible things on Facebook. That said, there are strains of trolling which could be helped by an option to dump anonymously sourced messages. Like the Lindy West troll sending emails addressed from her dead father, or Scott Adams signing up for a thousand sock puppet accounts to drop pro-Adams propaganda in strange corners of the internet...
• Nomentatus 10y ago
  What's needed is real, verified ID TO Google etc, not ON Google etc. If I troll, give up my ID to the police. Meanwhile, give me anonymity. So, consequences for bad behavior, yes; a permanent record of all my intellectual fails and exposure to rw retaliation from all comers for my political opinions; no. For this, verified credit cards have to exist (non-burners) and Google has to charge them 3 cents to verify they're good. (There are many excellent extant engineering solutions to social problems. Locks are. So are clothes, and baths.)
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]