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A bit of a tangent but, this is all the result of having people use their real names on the internet. I remember when there was a big push for people to create
by throwaway316943 6y ago
A bit of a tangent but, this is all the result of having people use their real names on the internet. I remember when there was a big push for people to create profiles tied to their real identities with the argument being that everyone would behave themselves if their real lives were connected to the things they did online. That argument is dead as discourse is now. Instead of well mannered discussion between opposing views we got media fuelled echo chambers that now extends right to the top offices of government along with political persecution by online mobs that high five each other as they destroy lives and careers. I don’t know what a good solution is.
- rayiner 6y agoThere’s no solution because it’s not a technical problem. Something is broken in our culture.
- wrycoder 6y agoPseudonyms and team moderation work pretty well, along with the ability to block abusive users. The HN voting system is also helpful.
- tomp 6y agoI received threats through my HN account. Caused me to remove identifying information from my profile.
- chokeartist 6y agoWhy is something broken in our culture? Humans are mean-spirited at their worst. The internet merely allows you to turn that element up to 10, where in real life you will be shunned going past a relative 2 or 3.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- throw998 6y agoThe argument may be dead, but the powers that be are pushing hard to make online anonymity illegal and a thing of the past, precisely because they want the kind of mob mentality that happened to the literary agent mentioned in TGGF.
- yters 6y agoHaha I remember that argument. The thought was anonymity made people horrible to each other online. Turns out people are horrible to each other online regardless.