Being a jerk or saying hateful words isn't against the law. Your idea is to simply oppress those with opposite political and social beliefs with fear and intimidation.
And since it isn't against the law. What exactly is the intended goal here? Retaliation? How? With harrassment, violence, and or vandalism?
If you're right about any given issue, then should there be a need to use force on others with fear and intimidation? If what you were saying was truth and really good for the "collective", wouldn't everyone accept it with open arms without a need of force?
I, and many people like me, believe that every individual has a right to say or believe whatever they want. But, it's the moment that you impose those beliefs on others is where we will draw the line. Do you know what is going to happen when you continue to impose your beliefs on others? I have a pretty good idea, but do you?
What I'm talking about isn't law. It's about community and what is acceptable to any given community or society.
However, there's plenty of outright slander happening every day all over the internet, and sometimes on this very site. There are laws against slander.
So which beliefs am I personally imposing on you? Have I posted a single sentence here which states a solid beliefe I should be allowed to force down your throat? If so, please quote it for me. I'm talking about community and ettiquette here, and how some people feel they have a free pass to say and do whatever they want online with such a privilege.
Nah, you tell me what your intentions are in regards to knowing personal information about everyone on the internet. What you are asking for is very specific and I want to know what you hope to achieve with this information.
It will be interesting to see the new ways in which a particular site will get posters/members/players to 'buy in' so that they might have something to lose in terms of reputation, standing or goals. If there is a social or time investment in an online persona then usually people will refrain from overt nonsense.
In games the population generally monitors itself (with some company moderation) and the social dynamic adjusts according to player 'actions'. Like minded individuals are free to form closed communities such as guilds and there are various chat channels. How do you provide a feeling of investment in a forum? There are post counts, post history and join dates but they only provide a reference of longevity.
I think it is less a notion of personal anonymity than a loss of connection or meaning to an online persona/avatar/profile. Should be an interesting conversion in the next few years.
I think anonymity is only a small part of the problem. The bigger problem is the moral decline of the society. In my country, we have politicians who insult immigrants freely because he uses the excuse of freedom of speech. People in public are also rude and have this arrogant and entitled behaviour. It is all about 'ME' now and how society is setup encourages this toxic behaviour. This then seeps through our beloved MMo's.
Its all tied up with freedom of speech, if you take away anonymity, despite trying to do it for the right reasons, the truth is that more harm is caused through good intentions than otherwise.
Look at what has happened with Facebook, hardly a day goes by without some tale of how a young girl, or boy or whatever, was driven to suicide by malicious intent from people they barely knew, personally i think mediums such as facebook are a blight, not because they take away anonymity, but because they totally bypass the safeguards that a family represents.
The trouble is that People with good intentions always have an agenda, be it political, religious or financial, the first is dubious, the second i just wish didnt exist and sadly the third is ever present particulary if you have an email account, thank goodness for spam filters
The problem with Anonymity, is that once you lose it, the wrong person will always get hold of the details/information whatever, and in a world where identity theft and cyber bullying etc, already is far too well represented.. why make it even easier for them to make others lives miserable.
One thing we all need to get our heads around to start with is that not a single one of us is anonymous on the net. Your screen names/activity online are attached to a dscoverable forensic trail of data which leads all the way back to your real indentity. At best, your identity is superfically obscured. So as a shield for your free speech, the internet is not really very good anyway.
Your example of cyber bullying is an interesting case study too. One has to wonder why it's ok for people to be attacked just because their identity is exposed in some way. Shouldn't we be addressing the attackers, rather than trying to hide the potential victims behind a false sense of security?
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Today I saw a guy shove another guy out of the way getting on the bus, dozens of people saw it, no one said anything, was this because no one knew the jerk's name?
I think anonymity is only a small part of the problem. The bigger problem is the moral decline of the society. In my country, we have politicians who insult immigrants freely because he uses the excuse of freedom of speech. People in public are also rude and have this arrogant and entitled behaviour. It is all about 'ME' now and how society is setup encourages this toxic behaviour. This then seeps through our beloved MMo's.
vgamer, you are getting exactly to my point here. I think a growing number of people are using false-anonymity online to allow themselves to be disgusting to other people.
Again, for anyone reading this... I PERSONALLY AM NOT PUTTING FORTH A SOLUTION, such as making you post your name online. I am simply putting the problem up for dicussion of potential solutions.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I can't believe we got this far without this image rearing its head.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
You could take the approach of some organization creating "official" internet personas.
This group would not share your PI externally, but internally they would use it to ensure you are really "you" and a verified identity would be assigned, only one to a person of course.
Then other websites could choose to either only let people join with a verified identity, or perhaps grant varying levels of privileges to verified users.
Also, bad behavior on the part of a verified identity would go back to the central organization which would maintain a record of your behavior for all to access.
It could end up working very much like credit scores do today, without the actual PI being visible.
Of course, the real trick is to figure out how to fund it like the credit scoring agencies have done.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Originally posted by Loktofeit I can't believe we got this far without this image rearing its head.
Hhaha! That is funny, never seen it before. But it is loosely what I am talking about. I think a lot of decent people say really bad things online because they think they are anonymous. Some great college papers could be written on this subject.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
In the context of MMORPG's I believe the decline in civility is linked to the decline in having community be a focus of the game. If devs made games that promoted community and was something significant portions of the playerbase cared about it would change things a lot I think.
I never said your real name should be available to me or anyone else.
I'm having a very hard time reconcilling this statement with the title of this thread.
What if, instead of your real name, you had to be maplestone, everywhere on the internet, forever. Everyone who knew you as maplestone in one place, would know you were the same person in a different place (be it Wow, Xbox Live, MMORPG.com forums, etc). While leaving your real identity out of the equation, you would be forced to own your statements from one community to the next, lessening your internet anonymity, but protecting your real privacy.
I do realize that we can't actually do that, but lessening anonymity by forcing people to own their actions, not allowing them to delete or have multiple accounts (I personally know people who have one account for regular discourse and another to flame with), will encourage better behavior by many. Too often people will say things when they can't be held accountable that they wouldn't dare say face to face.
The base truth is that the anonymity of the internet both protects free speech and provide an outlet for behavior that would otherwise be deemed unacceptable. Free speech is paramount, and I fully support it, but there are lines that should not be crossed (some that SCOTUS has said is not protected under the 1st), yet with full anonymity it is too easy to step over them because no one is able to hold you accountable. Good character is what is lacking from society today. A persons character is not determined by what they do in front of other people, but what they do when no one is looking. People have forgotten that.
If words over the internet hurt you... don't use it.
Everyone has to be so PC all the time its no wonder people freak out and act up on the internet. Anonymity isnt the issue. The issue is the real worlds ever tightening stranglehold on the list of things that are acceptable.
We over medicate our kids for acting like kids. We expect 13 year olds to act like 35 year olds online. We suspend students who draw zombies and trees on fire. We suspend kids for facebook comments. We suspend kids who to school for 8 hours and come home to 4 hours of homework nightly and dont manage to get it all done. We suspend kids for not saying the pledge. We suspend kids for talking about hunting or the shooting range.
Then there is work
You get fired for any slight against anyone not of your race/gender/sexual orientation real or imagined. You have to be so overly sensitive to everyones feelings you can't even think about work anymore. Equal rights in the work place now means pander to every person not in the majority or risk lawsuit. Companies fire you for what you say on your own time on social media sites.
Any time you have to put real information on the internet the powers that be can and do use it to make your life harder. We are observed non stop from the second we leave the house to the second we get home to make sure we are politically correct in all things.
Why do people wonder that the internet is an escape mechanism to blow off steam. Sometimes blowing off steam is screaming pure vitrol.
People need SOMEWHERE that isnt a politically correct nursing center or they will eventually flip out.
That's the goal. They want to control everyone with fear and intimidation in order to force you to conform to their beliefs....or else.
You are aware of their intentions, so plan accordingly.
Who is this "they" you are talking about, because I'm only referring to your own peer group, community, society, etc. This is nothing new, and this is how humans have worked together for millions of years. Do you believe the internet should be a free for all? Please explain.
"They" are the community that I don't belong to or care to. So yes, I know exactly what you were referring to. And I'm telling you that society is a collection of different communiies, make up of like-minded individuals.
Humans working together for millions of years is something new to me. You are simply wrong here.
Yes, the internet should be a free for all. Think of the internet as a society. Think of a website as a community. Think of a member as an individual. Don't go where you are not welcomed. Don't force your beliefs on others if you do. Stay among like-minded individuals.
Real life should never be tied to the internet. The problem isn't anonymity its that in games your online persona is no big deal anymore because you don't develop years of hard work and effort on it. Group grinding games have better communities.
Why do people ever behave well, whether online or in real-life? More often than we might like to think (though far from always), the answer is because we fear the consequences if we don't. Would you steal if you knew absolutely for certain that you wouldn't be caught? Maybe not at first, and maybe not ever, but it would sure be a lot more tempting if we saw other people commonly doing so and getting away with it.
Anonymity online greatly diminishes the harm that can come to us if we behave badly, which is why it provides a glimpse into how people are likely to behave if there were no consequences. But attaching real names to what you say online isn't the solution; the flip side of a lack of consequences for behaving badly online is that we really can't do that much damage. I'd sure rather have some idiot launch into a tirade against me on an online like this one and then have to block him than have someone come to my apartment and stab me. Take away anonymity and the person inclined to cause trouble may be able to find where I live and do far more harm. We can cite the occasional example of someone who committed suicide after being bullied online, but that's a drop in the bucket compared to over 10000 murders annually in the United States.
The problem is that if you are a jerk online, you likely never again have any contact with whoever you wronged. He can't take revenge or meaningfully shun you. That's still true if you attach your real name to your posts. It's also true with meeting random strangers on the street in a large city, provided that you don't behave badly enough for the police to get involved; it's no coincidence that small towns where everyone knows everyone else tend to be friendlier than large cities with millions of people.
If you're in a small community online, and talk to the same people frequently, then you get a reputation for whatever you do (whether good or bad), and that can harm you if you behave badly. That works out about the same whether you attach your real name or not.
I don't believe that political arguments are an example of bad online behavior leaking into the real world. Between the rise of television news in the 1960s and the rise of conservative talk radio in the 1980s (which had previously been banned by the "Fairness Doctrine"), the American right wasn't able to get its message out very well, which allowed the left to pretend that they didn't exist. This is perhaps an odd fluke of history, as all three major TV networks had a left of center political bias. If political arguments are more heated today than they were 30 years ago, it's only a reversion to the norm throughout American history, and not a new phenomenon. Outright slandering your political opponents goes all the way back to colonial times; indeed the US Constitution explicitly defines treason and soon added the First Amendment precisely in order to allow this sort of verbal roughhousing in our politics.
Trying to hide behind what is, at best, obscurity of your identity, is a poor solution for dealing with bullies and criminals. Again, if we all need to sit around and worry that someone online may find out who we are and come stab us, then it's time for some real soul searching as to the nature of our society in general.
I used political discussion as an example because I get involved in a lot of poltical debates. People seem to have license to say whatever they want about those who disagree with their own ideology, and I have watched the nature of this discourse become worse and worse online. I saw so much dehumanizing of the opposing political parties on Facebook, emails and so many other sources during this last election that it blew my mind. I'm not talking about disagreeing vehemently on the issues here. I'm referring to dehumanization. You know, the kind of things we learned the Nazi's did back in the day to justify their actions against "lessor" peoples. If you think that doesn't spill over into the real world, I'd like to know how you came to that conclusion.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I'm not necessarily a fan of using real names- but I have NO qualms with you having to stick with one name (presumably account name), so that you can't just make a new character with a new name and start all over again. If that is a possibility, it should be made extremely difficult.
The goal, here, is to make your reputation important- a perfect example can be found in the Minecraft community, where server owners share lists of people who grief or are assholes frequently, so as to ban them before they even start.
If words over the internet hurt you... don't use it.
Everyone has to be so PC all the time its no wonder people freak out and act up on the internet. Anonymity isnt the issue. The issue is the real worlds ever tightening stranglehold on the list of things that are acceptable.
We over medicate our kids for acting like kids. We expect 13 year olds to act like 35 year olds online. We suspend students who draw zombies and trees on fire. We suspend kids for facebook comments. We suspend kids who to school for 8 hours and come home to 4 hours of homework nightly and dont manage to get it all done. We suspend kids for not saying the pledge. We suspend kids for talking about hunting or the shooting range.
Then there is work
You get fired for any slight against anyone not of your race/gender/sexual orientation real or imagined. You have to be so overly sensitive to everyones feelings you can't even think about work anymore. Equal rights in the work place now means pander to every person not in the majority or risk lawsuit. Companies fire you for what you say on your own time on social media sites.
Any time you have to put real information on the internet the powers that be can and do use it to make your life harder. We are observed non stop from the second we leave the house to the second we get home to make sure we are politically correct in all things.
Why do people wonder that the internet is an escape mechanism to blow off steam. Sometimes blowing off steam is screaming pure vitrol.
People need SOMEWHERE that isnt a politically correct nursing center or they will eventually flip out.
That's the goal. They want to control everyone with fear and intimidation in order to force you to conform to their beliefs....or else.
You are aware of their intentions, so plan accordingly.
Who is this "they" you are talking about, because I'm only referring to your own peer group, community, society, etc. This is nothing new, and this is how humans have worked together for millions of years. Do you believe the internet should be a free for all? Please explain.
"They" are the community that I don't belong to or care to. So yes, I know exactly what you were referring to. And I'm telling you that society is a collection of different communiies, make up of like-minded individuals.
Humans working together for millions of years is something new to me. You are simply wrong here.
Yes, the internet should be a free for all. Think of the internet as a society. Think of a website as a community. Think of a member as an individual. Don't go where you are not welcomed. Don't force your beliefs on others if you do. Stay among like-minded individuals.
I'm wrong about what? Do you believe humans evolved as lone creatures? That's not the anthropology I am aware of. Perhaps I should have said hundreds of thousands of years instead?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are no such clear barriers on the internet. In fact, there isn't really even a clear barrier between the internet and real life anymore. There's no way to fence everyone off from one another, and there never will be. We have to work together, even on the internet.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
What if, instead of your real name, you had to be maplestone, everywhere on the internet, forever.
Including work, banking, family? If so, wouldn't that make Maplestone my real name and my birth name just a relic, like a maiden name? But let's say you restrict it just to games and game websites, that no matter where I talk about games or what games I ever play, I will always be forced to go by the unique pseudonym "Maplestone". Then, even in this restricted case, my original question still stands: what exactly are you intending to do with my name?
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I never said your real name should be available to me or anyone else.
I'm having a very hard time reconcilling this statement with the title of this thread.
Then you didn't read my entire post. All I'm saying (and maybe it wasn't clear enough), is that more and more people are using this false internet anonymity to hide behind so that they can be as disgusting as they want to other people. I have no idea what the solution is. The "real name" example came from me watching how Google is trying to push their users in this direction.
I do believe, however, that Google and other organizations have the right to require you to use your real name if they so choose. On that same token, we have the right to not use their service and to find one with rules we prefer.
Also, I corrected the title to be more in line with my point.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I'm referring to dehumanization. You know, the kind of things we learned the Nazi's did back in the day to justify their actions against "lessor" peoples. If you think that doesn't spill over into the real world, I'd like to know how you came to that conclusion.
Wow, I did nazi see that one coming.
So, how is asking for our papers so you can identify people that are not like you to keep them in line any different?
How will this turn out any different than forcing lawful firearm owners to register their firearms, then posting their names and addresses to the public like that newspaper did in New York (the same newspaper that has to have armed guards at their office and homes now)?
Just tell us what you intend to do with this personal information.
Originally posted by Quizzical I'm referring to dehumanization. You know, the kind of things we learned the Nazi's did back in the day to justify their actions against "lessor" peoples. If you think that doesn't spill over into the real world, I'd like to know how you came to that conclusion.
Wow, I did nazi see that one coming.
So, how is asking for our papers so you can identify people that are not like you to keep them in line any different?
How will this turn out any different than forcing lawful firearm owners to register their firearms, then posting their names and addresses to the public like that newspaper did in New York (the same newspaper that has to have armed guards at their office and homes now)?
Just tell us what you intend to do with this personal information.
Taking me out of context... I'm referring to many things I saw online where people from one political party were reducing people from their opposing political party as sub-human. If you know anything about propaganda, you will get my meaning. Additionally, the discussion you quoted was about why I used the increasingly nasty tone of political discourse in the US as an example of how hateful internet discussions spill into our real world lives and affect the world.
You don't know me, so I'll just tell you. I'm registered as an Independent non-partisan voter in the US, and I value my civil liberties. I do like to have stimulating conversations about complex subjects though, and I tend to make an effort to understand opposing views. In fact, I chose to be indy so I wouldn't have to follow a party line.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
What if, instead of your real name, you had to be maplestone, everywhere on the internet, forever.
Including work, banking, family? If so, wouldn't that make Maplestone my real name and my birth name just a relic, like a maiden name? But let's say you restrict it just to games and game websites, that no matter where I talk about games or what games I ever play, I will always be forced to go by the unique pseudonym "Maplestone". Then, even in this restricted case, my original question still stands: what exactly are you intending to do with my name?
I wouldn't need to do anything with it. I would merely be able to recognize you across multiple forums, websites, games, etc. When you can't just adopt a new identity at the drop of a hat, your actions mean something to you.
For most people this doesn't matter and wouldn't affect them, but you take Anonymous Internet Troll #1 and make him keep his identity across all platforms where everyone knows what a jackass he is and he'll feel the sting when no community will even take him in or let him participate. When no one will talk to him, guild him, or even give him a chance to troll, he'll get the message. And then, not only will be be forced to own his words, he won't be able to just hide from it by deleting his account and making a new one.
People would be defined by their actions. Those actions wouldn't be deleteable or no longer apply with the click of a button; banning would mean something. Imagine it... a world where people actually have to take responsibility. Amazing!
Being upset over comments on the internet isn't a strong enough reason to lose anonymity. Who gets to say what is acceptable or not? Corporations? Governments? Special interest groups? People are hooked too much on things like Twitter, Facebook and all that other social media hot garbage. I think its better people use whatever aggressive thoughts and emotions they have and type them out rather than act them out. As someone else asked, what exactly would you do if you knew my name and where I lived? Phone me? Phone my employers? Come to my house? The links below are reason enough to keep online activties anonymous.
Comments
I'm having a very hard time reconcilling this statement with the title of this thread.
Nah, you tell me what your intentions are in regards to knowing personal information about everyone on the internet. What you are asking for is very specific and I want to know what you hope to achieve with this information.
It will be interesting to see the new ways in which a particular site will get posters/members/players to 'buy in' so that they might have something to lose in terms of reputation, standing or goals. If there is a social or time investment in an online persona then usually people will refrain from overt nonsense.
In games the population generally monitors itself (with some company moderation) and the social dynamic adjusts according to player 'actions'. Like minded individuals are free to form closed communities such as guilds and there are various chat channels. How do you provide a feeling of investment in a forum? There are post counts, post history and join dates but they only provide a reference of longevity.
I think it is less a notion of personal anonymity than a loss of connection or meaning to an online persona/avatar/profile. Should be an interesting conversion in the next few years.
nope not worth it
sacrificing freedom to prevent butthurts simply isnt worth it.
I think anonymity is only a small part of the problem. The bigger problem is the moral decline of the society. In my country, we have politicians who insult immigrants freely because he uses the excuse of freedom of speech. People in public are also rude and have this arrogant and entitled behaviour. It is all about 'ME' now and how society is setup encourages this toxic behaviour. This then seeps through our beloved MMo's.
One thing we all need to get our heads around to start with is that not a single one of us is anonymous on the net. Your screen names/activity online are attached to a dscoverable forensic trail of data which leads all the way back to your real indentity. At best, your identity is superfically obscured. So as a shield for your free speech, the internet is not really very good anyway.
Your example of cyber bullying is an interesting case study too. One has to wonder why it's ok for people to be attacked just because their identity is exposed in some way. Shouldn't we be addressing the attackers, rather than trying to hide the potential victims behind a false sense of security?
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Today I saw a guy shove another guy out of the way getting on the bus, dozens of people saw it, no one said anything, was this because no one knew the jerk's name?
Get a clue.
vgamer, you are getting exactly to my point here. I think a growing number of people are using false-anonymity online to allow themselves to be disgusting to other people.
Again, for anyone reading this... I PERSONALLY AM NOT PUTTING FORTH A SOLUTION, such as making you post your name online. I am simply putting the problem up for dicussion of potential solutions.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
This group would not share your PI externally, but internally they would use it to ensure you are really "you" and a verified identity would be assigned, only one to a person of course.
Then other websites could choose to either only let people join with a verified identity, or perhaps grant varying levels of privileges to verified users.
Also, bad behavior on the part of a verified identity would go back to the central organization which would maintain a record of your behavior for all to access.
It could end up working very much like credit scores do today, without the actual PI being visible.
Of course, the real trick is to figure out how to fund it like the credit scoring agencies have done.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Hhaha! That is funny, never seen it before. But it is loosely what I am talking about. I think a lot of decent people say really bad things online because they think they are anonymous. Some great college papers could be written on this subject.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
What if, instead of your real name, you had to be maplestone, everywhere on the internet, forever. Everyone who knew you as maplestone in one place, would know you were the same person in a different place (be it Wow, Xbox Live, MMORPG.com forums, etc). While leaving your real identity out of the equation, you would be forced to own your statements from one community to the next, lessening your internet anonymity, but protecting your real privacy.
I do realize that we can't actually do that, but lessening anonymity by forcing people to own their actions, not allowing them to delete or have multiple accounts (I personally know people who have one account for regular discourse and another to flame with), will encourage better behavior by many. Too often people will say things when they can't be held accountable that they wouldn't dare say face to face.
The base truth is that the anonymity of the internet both protects free speech and provide an outlet for behavior that would otherwise be deemed unacceptable. Free speech is paramount, and I fully support it, but there are lines that should not be crossed (some that SCOTUS has said is not protected under the 1st), yet with full anonymity it is too easy to step over them because no one is able to hold you accountable. Good character is what is lacking from society today. A persons character is not determined by what they do in front of other people, but what they do when no one is looking. People have forgotten that.
"They" are the community that I don't belong to or care to. So yes, I know exactly what you were referring to. And I'm telling you that society is a collection of different communiies, make up of like-minded individuals.
Humans working together for millions of years is something new to me. You are simply wrong here.
Yes, the internet should be a free for all. Think of the internet as a society. Think of a website as a community. Think of a member as an individual. Don't go where you are not welcomed. Don't force your beliefs on others if you do. Stay among like-minded individuals.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I'm not necessarily a fan of using real names- but I have NO qualms with you having to stick with one name (presumably account name), so that you can't just make a new character with a new name and start all over again. If that is a possibility, it should be made extremely difficult.
The goal, here, is to make your reputation important- a perfect example can be found in the Minecraft community, where server owners share lists of people who grief or are assholes frequently, so as to ban them before they even start.
I'm wrong about what? Do you believe humans evolved as lone creatures? That's not the anthropology I am aware of. Perhaps I should have said hundreds of thousands of years instead?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are no such clear barriers on the internet. In fact, there isn't really even a clear barrier between the internet and real life anymore. There's no way to fence everyone off from one another, and there never will be. We have to work together, even on the internet.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Including work, banking, family? If so, wouldn't that make Maplestone my real name and my birth name just a relic, like a maiden name? But let's say you restrict it just to games and game websites, that no matter where I talk about games or what games I ever play, I will always be forced to go by the unique pseudonym "Maplestone". Then, even in this restricted case, my original question still stands: what exactly are you intending to do with my name?
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Then you didn't read my entire post. All I'm saying (and maybe it wasn't clear enough), is that more and more people are using this false internet anonymity to hide behind so that they can be as disgusting as they want to other people. I have no idea what the solution is. The "real name" example came from me watching how Google is trying to push their users in this direction.
I do believe, however, that Google and other organizations have the right to require you to use your real name if they so choose. On that same token, we have the right to not use their service and to find one with rules we prefer.
Also, I corrected the title to be more in line with my point.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Wow, I did nazi see that one coming.
So, how is asking for our papers so you can identify people that are not like you to keep them in line any different?
How will this turn out any different than forcing lawful firearm owners to register their firearms, then posting their names and addresses to the public like that newspaper did in New York (the same newspaper that has to have armed guards at their office and homes now)?
Just tell us what you intend to do with this personal information.
Taking me out of context... I'm referring to many things I saw online where people from one political party were reducing people from their opposing political party as sub-human. If you know anything about propaganda, you will get my meaning. Additionally, the discussion you quoted was about why I used the increasingly nasty tone of political discourse in the US as an example of how hateful internet discussions spill into our real world lives and affect the world.
You don't know me, so I'll just tell you. I'm registered as an Independent non-partisan voter in the US, and I value my civil liberties. I do like to have stimulating conversations about complex subjects though, and I tend to make an effort to understand opposing views. In fact, I chose to be indy so I wouldn't have to follow a party line.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
I wouldn't need to do anything with it. I would merely be able to recognize you across multiple forums, websites, games, etc. When you can't just adopt a new identity at the drop of a hat, your actions mean something to you.
For most people this doesn't matter and wouldn't affect them, but you take Anonymous Internet Troll #1 and make him keep his identity across all platforms where everyone knows what a jackass he is and he'll feel the sting when no community will even take him in or let him participate. When no one will talk to him, guild him, or even give him a chance to troll, he'll get the message. And then, not only will be be forced to own his words, he won't be able to just hide from it by deleting his account and making a new one.
People would be defined by their actions. Those actions wouldn't be deleteable or no longer apply with the click of a button; banning would mean something. Imagine it... a world where people actually have to take responsibility. Amazing!
Being upset over comments on the internet isn't a strong enough reason to lose anonymity. Who gets to say what is acceptable or not? Corporations? Governments? Special interest groups? People are hooked too much on things like Twitter, Facebook and all that other social media hot garbage. I think its better people use whatever aggressive thoughts and emotions they have and type them out rather than act them out. As someone else asked, what exactly would you do if you knew my name and where I lived? Phone me? Phone my employers? Come to my house? The links below are reason enough to keep online activties anonymous.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/16-year-old-girl-stalked-from-wow-to-her-high-school/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/world-of-warcraft-stabbing-jordan-osborne_n_1671234.html
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.