IP: ANONYMITY THREATENED IN EUROPE Edupage, 28 April 2000

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> The European Parliament may place restrictions on the use of
> anonymous e-mail in an effort to check criminal activity online.
> Although current regulations encourage the use of anonymous Web
> access, particularly for payment services, last week the
> parliament's Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home
> Affairs committee reportedly endorsed new restrictions on
> anonymous re-mailers.  A Dutch parliament member in January said
> that anonymous Web surveying should be a criminal offense, while
> restricting anonymous online activities was advocated in a recent
> U.S. White House report.  Privacy advocates say anonymity is an
> important tool to prevent spying online, while others worry that
> it offers too many opportunities for criminal misuse.
> (Wired News, 26 April 2000)