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posted by mrpg on Sunday November 05 2017, @04:29AM   Printer-friendly
from the I-refrain-from-commenting dept.

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


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  • (Score: 2, Offtopic) by Runaway1956 on Sunday November 05 2017, @10:40AM (3 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 05 2017, @10:40AM (#592458) Journal

    Citations, or you're making it all up. I have NEVER badmouthed any of my female coworkers, except for HR. In fact, I only have two coworkers who I have ever badmouthed. There is a third who needs it, but I've certainly never mentioned him here. He is only now moving up on my radar, so I know I've never mentioned him.

    Go ahead, make accusations, talk shit, make yourself feel good. Doesn't matter. It only gives me ammunition when I file that retaliation lawsuit.

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  • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 05 2017, @11:47AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 05 2017, @11:47AM (#592475)

    Runaway, do you know who I am? Do you know that I am your superior, only posting with a pseudonym, just to keep track of how much damage you might be doing to the company? I only mention the fact that you have let slip so many details because I fear that it can be tracked back to our company, and your posting here would be an extremely negative reflection on us, if anyone were to realize you were our employee. So, Runaway, or if I may call by by the first name in our HR records, ***********, I would appreciate it if you would just shut to fuck up.

    • (Score: 1, Redundant) by Runaway1956 on Sunday November 05 2017, @01:29PM (1 child)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 05 2017, @01:29PM (#592499) Journal

      If you are my "superior", then you will remember that I've already told you that I have few superiors, and that none of them work at this plant. I find my superiors in odd places around the nation, and around the world. But, there are none working in this plant, and you know it. Now, kindly fuck off and die.

      • (Score: 3, Touché) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday November 05 2017, @03:39PM

        by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Sunday November 05 2017, @03:39PM (#592538) Journal

        "Did ya ever get the feelin'...you wuz bein'...trolled...? *carrot chomp*"

        --
        I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...