Re: For those who don't think anonymity is useful on the Internet

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

A CSTB sponsored meeting MANY moons ago at the Irvine NAS facility  
came to a  negative conclusion on anonymity in general.
Dave

Begin forwarded message:

From: Gene Spafford <spaf () cerias purdue edu>
Date: August 31, 2008 5:55:25 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] For those who don't think anonymity is useful on the  
Internet

How do we know that anonymity would have made a difference?
 * If he actually did try to grab a policeman's gun, would anonymous  
posting have changed that?
 * Would anonymous posting have protected him from bullets?
 * Would anonymous posting have enabled him to become influential in  
opposition circles (how would they know it was him)?

Anonymity is claimed to have many miraculous properties, but we are  
unable to conduct parallel testing.

For instance, would pseudonymous posting have provided as much (or  
more) *real* personal safety as anonymous posting is implied to provide?

And if anonymous posting was available to all residents of   
Ingushetia, how many lives might be disrupted by people being  
anonymously denounced as rebels, perverts, criminals, by those who  
bore grudges or simply wanted to cause discord?  Heck, the secret  
police might well plant fully-anonymous stories to justify acts  
against dissenters!  If you can't prove you are the author, you can't  
deny when something else is published that purports to be your work....

I am not trying to make the case that anonymity is never useful.   
However, we should all be a little cautious about claiming "proof" and  
pretending that it is always a good thing.


> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7590719.stm





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