4 ms·
Because while freedom of speech is (in some places?) considered an inalienable right, speaking on the internet (writing/publishing) is nearly impossible to do a
by clebio 13y ago
Because while freedom of speech is (in some places?) considered an inalienable right, speaking on the internet (writing/publishing) is nearly impossible to do anonymously. I guess one could argue that speaking in person in any context is impossible to do anonymously, but it's still an interesting technical challenge to figure out whether we even can publish anonymously. It's interesting because on the one hand, it's easy to get wrong, and because on the other hand, perhaps it's provably possible, in a manner such as this.
- run4yourlives 13y agoFreedom of anonymous speech is not a right in any jurisdiction or country that I'm aware of. For very good reason, I might add. In fact, most anonymous speech can safely be discounted as nonsense.
- otann 13y agoIt may not be a right, but it can help protect that freedom of speech and I think that is a pretty worthwhile goal. Also, I agree most anonymous writings don't amount to much of anything, but it doesn't mean they don't have their uses.
- schoen 13y agoThe United States protects the freedom of anonymous speech. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntyre_v._Ohio_Elections_Commission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntyre_v._Ohio_Elections_Com... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchtower_Society_v._Village_of_Stratton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchtower_Society_v._Village_...
- run4yourlives 13y agoKeep reading, it's a little more complex then simply suggesting anonymity is guaranteed: "A defendant in a defamation lawsuit attempted to use this case as a precedent that "sources have the right of anonymous speech under the First Amendment", but in 2011, the New Jersey Supreme Court rejected the argument, distinguishing that case from McIntyre." Your second link doesn't really pertain to the topic at hand. Nonetheless, it's an interesting concept that I'm not sure I particularly agree with.