Using Real Names has Real Consequences
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Using Real Names has Real Consequences
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Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#2I have pretty strong negative reaction to this push for more and more sites to demand a real name for signup and I'm not sure if it's a product of my internet usage history or if I actually have a valid gripe.
I think it's fundamentally important that as a general principle the internet allows a person to play many parts and to play those parts under discreet, consistent personae if required. The most basic example being that my 'work' persona needs to be distinctly separate so that people can't mistake my personal opinions for official statements from the national broadcasting corporation I happen to work for.
Sites like quora and facebook are a distubing and distressing trend to me, but I haven't really seen a great deal of 'push back' against the practice. Especially from younger web users, and I wonder if it's just a 'generational' thing?
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#3I have pretty strong negative reaction to this push for more and more sites to demand a real name for signup and I'm not sure if it's a product of my internet usage history or if I actually have a valid gripe. I think it's fundamentally important that as a general principle the internet allows a person to play many parts and to play those parts under discreet, consistent personae if required. The most basic example b…
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the push back might only be visible, if you will, in lower adoption rates than we'd see otherwise; that is, so very visible at all.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#4I have pretty strong negative reaction to this push for more and more sites to demand a real name for signup and I'm not sure if it's a product of my internet usage history or if I actually have a valid gripe. I think it's fundamentally important that as a general principle the internet allows a person to play many parts and to play those parts under discreet, consistent personae if required. The most basic example b…
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the push back might only be visible, if you will, in lower adoption rates than we'd see otherwise; that is, so very visible at all.
I don't think you could ever describe facebook as having low adoption rates and it doesn't seem to be hugely affecting the uptake of sites like quora.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#5Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the push back might only be visible, if you will, in lower adoption rates than we'd see otherwise; that is, so very visible at all.
I don't think you could ever describe facebook as having low adoption rates and it doesn't seem to be hugely affecting the uptake of sites like quora.
I never said low, I said lower. :)
Quora… how popular is it really outside of the tech community? Do we really have any idea about what its adoption rates would be otherwise? I don't.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#6Readers might also be interested to know that anonymity is one of the things constitutionally guaranteed by the First Amendment right to free speech. This concept has been extensively examined in legal jurisprudence for many years. See, for example, https://www.eff.org/issues/anonymity
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#7I have pretty strong negative reaction to this push for more and more sites to demand a real name for signup and I'm not sure if it's a product of my internet usage history or if I actually have a valid gripe. I think it's fundamentally important that as a general principle the internet allows a person to play many parts and to play those parts under discreet, consistent personae if required. The most basic example b…
Agree completely about the need for pseudonyms online... If I'm asked for a real name, I'll format a handle that sounds "real" (ie, first last).
The Idiocracy hunting down quotes and pictures out of context are part of what necessitates the anonymity.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#8I hate using my real name online.
The most recent wikipedia fiasco involving programming languages being deleted just goes to show how dangerous it is. The poor editor who marked the articles for a delete discussion was stalked to the point of people on HN discussing the idea of contacting the guy's boss with the intent of disrupting his career in academia.
And all because the guy thought an article didn't have enough notability to belong on wikipedia.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#9I have pretty strong negative reaction to this push for more and more sites to demand a real name for signup and I'm not sure if it's a product of my internet usage history or if I actually have a valid gripe. I think it's fundamentally important that as a general principle the internet allows a person to play many parts and to play those parts under discreet, consistent personae if required. The most basic example b…
AFAIK disclaimers about personal opinions being separate from official statements has been used on Usenet for years. I know because I read Google Groups often.
Re: Using Real Names has Real Consequences
#10You would not believe how many facebook accounts my cats have.
(for testing purposes, I'd never actually have one myself)