odd time signatures - Latest Comments in Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

blogMeTender — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:35:50 -0000

What is really disturbing is how many employers now Google their job applicants. You can say something that's decent, respectful, yet it gets misinterpreted or taken out of context. It can cost you an opportunity. Some of us are still figuring out just how much of ourselves we will reveal in the blogosphere.

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

macbeach — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 21:38:31 -0000

I agree 100%

My comment on Scobble's was mainly directed at earlier posts of his where he claimed to not read blogs where he did not know the bloggers name (I'm pretty sure this is not actually true as he has responded to a few of my posts, but that was mostly back in the Microsoft days).

I have a vanity domain (not associated with my blog) that I used private registration for. Scary to think that it is so easy to pierce that veil when I'm paying a premium for it to NSI. But then when you see almost daily stories of credit card info on the loose who can still have any confidence in these systems to either protect our true identity or prevent others from masquerading as us?

I'm hoping someone will come along with a better way. In the mean time, tracking down those that abuse the system, and who abuse other innocent users, and actually punishing them for it, needs to start happening sooner rather than later.

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

Kelly Christopherson — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:19:24 -0000

karoli, although it is true that people will not act improperly being anonymous, if you were to look at some of the MySpace and YouTube stuff, you'd see that being anonymous has allowed people to do and say things without having to take responsibility for them. For me, I feel that I should be able to stand by what I say, whether people agree with it or not. I'm not sure that being anonymous would allow me to say anything different since I always figure that if someone wants to find out who you really are, they will. Over the years on the web, I've seen too many people say and do things anonymously that I know they wouldn't do if their name was identified with it. It really does make one accountable for one's actions.

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

karoli — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:42:52 -0000

Thanks to all for such thought-provoking comments.

Marie, you hit on the double-edged sword of me being outed. Being found by friends of that particular era is very cool, but I keep wondering how long it will be before the ones who weren't friends find me?

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

Misou — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:50:03 -0000

Well said. Unfortunately there are also those who are abusing their privilege to be anonymous, harassing others and spreading malicious "information" about them (e.g. Wikipedia being a great place for that). You are right, it is "t is the lack of personal ownership and responsibility that is the heart of the problem" but you can't close your eyes from the fact that some services will need to be more transparent - not for "the safety of all of us" or some such political crap but for the survival of the net as it is.

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

Marie — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 19:48:51 -0000

Very well said. I started blogging anonymously, but quickly stopped. I've even tried to dabble in it a couple times since then. Personally, I just wasn't comfortable with it for myself. However, I do not judge others that do. If they are consistent and interesting, I'll read them and respect them and stick with them - even when I might disagree with them or even detest their position on an issue. Once they start flaking out (for lack of a better word), I just stop reading them and never look back. Well, I guess I feel pretty much that way whether a blogger uses his name or not.

On a purely selfish note, I'm glad you started using your name. I followed a link to TechCrunch (I think) from Dave Winer one day. As I was reading the conversation I saw a familiar name. And I thought to myself, can it be that there is more than one person in the world with that name. So, I followed you over here and it didn't take long to figure out it was you. I've been here ever since. And the rest they say, is history.

Re: Anonymity Isn’t the Problem

Leaf Counting — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 17:26:22 -0000

It’s nice to read thought out well articulated posts. Keep it up, anonymous or not!