Submitted via IRC for takyon
This week, representatives from Google, Facebook, and Twitter are appearing before House and Senate subcommittees to answer for their role in Russian manipulation during the 2016 election, and so far, the questioning has been brutal. Facebook has taken the bulk of the heat, being publicly called out by members of Congress for missing a wave of Russian activity until months after the election.
[...] The point is clear enough: if you're fighting Russian interference on social media, anonymity is a big problem. In some ways, it's the original sin, creating space for that first lie that lets trolls enter the conversation unnoticed. "Account anonymity in public provides some benefits to society, but social media companies must work immediately to confirm real humans operate accounts," Watts told the committee. "The negative effects of social bots far outweigh any benefits." It's a common insight among bot-hunters, and one that's become particularly popular amid this week's hearings.
[...] The problem is social. We're used to anonymity on the internet, particularly on the services where it's still available. It's hard to know what an anonymity backlash would mean for services like Twitter, Reddit, and 4chan — all of which are named in Watts' testimony as playing a role in Russian disinformation.
In the background, there's an even harder question: is anonymity still worth saving? It's foundational to many people's idea of the internet, but amid widespread online harassment and Facebook itself, it's come to mean less and less. Even without Russian influence campaigns, the web's online spaces are largely associated with the ugliest parts of humanity. (4chan is a prime example.) With new pressure from Congress, bot analysts, and the public, online anonymity may not have any defenders left. In the face of that, Twitter, Reddit, and others might decide a real name policy is a small price to pay for forestalling federal regulation.
Source: Russia's Social Media Meddling Could Spell the End of Online Anonymity
Previously: Russia Bans VPNs and Tor, Effective November 1
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday November 05 2017, @10:25AM (3 children)
That comment contains more spelling and grammar mistakes than usual. Are you trying to attract Grammar Nazis, or are you sauced up?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2, Troll) by aristarchus on Sunday November 05 2017, @11:41AM (2 children)
Maybe it wasn't me? Or is it just getting Runaway all rilled up by suggesting "You can't handle the truth!" I suspect he will be pink slipped by the end of the week, either in the "terminated" mode, or the "I feel pretty, oh so pretty, and happy, and gay!" mode. Poor Runaway. If only he were not so stupid, could find somewhere else on the internets to hang out and not be banned. As it is, we are stuck with him, because no one else will tolerate his stupidity.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 06 2017, @01:15AM (1 child)
"Everybody who disagrees with me is a stupid fucking idiot."
signed
Genius Tolerant Liberal who loves and respects everybody
Repeat x1000
(Score: 3, Insightful) by aristarchus on Monday November 06 2017, @03:34AM
Why do you think this, genius AC? Did you ever think that someone might disagree with you because you are just wrong, and not smart enough to see it? Could happen.