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This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but the lack of anonymity could dramatically improve people's behaviour on Facebook. If we can't touch the algorithm,

This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but the lack of anonymity could dramatically improve people's behaviour on Facebook. If we can't touch the algorithm, which we know at various points has been adjusted to promote anger and manipulate emotions, what else can be done? If the lack of anonymity on Facebook means people start deleting their Facebook accounts... this is also a good thing.

quadrifoliate 5y ago
It's a very unpopular opinion because the precedent set (compulsory ID verification for online stuff) is very much not worth the thing that you think you're getting (improved behavior in an online social network). Assume that tomorrow you started requiring compulsory ID verification for, say, entering public parks. It's possible that this would lead to some improvement in the general conditions of public parks. But you would still think of it as dystopian bullshit. This is the same.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  Yeah but assume that public park with ID verification was previously filled with sewage. A sewage filled park is also quite dystopian. (if it's unclear, Facebook is the sewage filled park)
anfogoat 5y ago
> This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but the lack of anonymity could dramatically improve people's behaviour on Facebook. I don't think many people would disagree with that. What I disagree with is valuing privacy and internet freedoms so little that you'd be willing to sacrifice on those even the tiniest bit just so people behaved better on social media. And really, disagree is an overly tame word for it, and I couldn't overstate just how much so.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  Right, but do you have privacy on Facebook anyway? Already seems like a lost cause in that realm.
stjohnswarts 5y ago
So block people and organizations you don't want to hear from. People have become weaklings when it comes to shutting down trolls.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  Facebook and Twitter algorithms pretty consistently show you content from people you don’t follow. They also decide to show more/less content from certain people you do follow. Before quitting twitter I had a 5,000+ account blocklist, it’s insurmountable for the average person. The algorithms are the primary issue, back when I only saw content from who I was following it was easy.

quadrifoliate 5y ago

It's a very unpopular opinion because the precedent set (compulsory ID verification for online stuff) is very much not worth the thing that you think you're getting (improved behavior in an online social network). Assume that tomorrow you started requiring compulsory ID verification for, say, entering public parks. It's possible that this would lead to some improvement in the general conditions of public parks. But you would still think of it as dystopian bullshit. This is the same.

micromacrofoot 5y ago
Yeah but assume that public park with ID verification was previously filled with sewage. A sewage filled park is also quite dystopian. (if it's unclear, Facebook is the sewage filled park)

anfogoat 5y ago

> This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but the lack of anonymity could dramatically improve people's behaviour on Facebook. I don't think many people would disagree with that. What I disagree with is valuing privacy and internet freedoms so little that you'd be willing to sacrifice on those even the tiniest bit just so people behaved better on social media. And really, disagree is an overly tame word for it, and I couldn't overstate just how much so.

micromacrofoot 5y ago
Right, but do you have privacy on Facebook anyway? Already seems like a lost cause in that realm.

stjohnswarts 5y ago

So block people and organizations you don't want to hear from. People have become weaklings when it comes to shutting down trolls.

micromacrofoot 5y ago
Facebook and Twitter algorithms pretty consistently show you content from people you don’t follow. They also decide to show more/less content from certain people you do follow. Before quitting twitter I had a 5,000+ account blocklist, it’s insurmountable for the average person. The algorithms are the primary issue, back when I only saw content from who I was following it was easy.