The best online Debate website - DebateIsland.com! The only Online Debate Website with Casual, Persuade Me, Formalish, and Formal Online Debate formats. We’re the Leading Online Debate website. Debate popular topics, Debate news, or Debate anything! Debate online for free! Should Anonymity Be Allowed On The Internetin Politics

Wake

I think that there are many, many dangers from having anonymous posters on the Internet. Among the least of them is that there are many posters from other countries that post on US politics. In the last Presidential election perhaps as many as HALF of all posters were not Americans but were posting from a phone bank in India. In other cases we have the crazy people who are willing to tell us things like Las Vegas shooting never occurred or the earth is flat.

So I subscribe to the idea that EVERY posting anywhere on the Internet be accompanied by the real name of the poster and his true address. Do you want to post on American politics? That's fine but if you are identified as North Korean we know what sort of biases you have.

If you want to post that the Earth is flat your employer should be able to see that and assign your job duties in accordance to your intellectual achievements. If you are identified and continue to turn up on every single conspiracy debate everyone should be able to see who it is and soon know what their ideas and opinions are worth.

CYDdharta

There are pros and cons to the concept, I'm just not sure it's possible.  How it was implemented, if it was even feasible, would be an important consideration.

islander507

Facebook has implemented something similar, but not foolproof

Erfisflat

In all seriousness, anonymity should be allowed, if solely to protect people from stalker and cyber bullies. Imagine if someone's  granddaughter posted on an internet site, and decided to put a picture of herself as her avatar? Are you openly agreeing that she should be allowed to be stalked and raped? 

Wake

@Erfisflat - Do you mean as opposed to how difficult it is to stand outside of a grade school and kidnap children in broad daylight?

Children taken by strangers or slight acquaintances represent only one-hundredth of 1 percent of all missing children.

You see, not everyone has the twisted sort of mind that you have. All you are doing is trying to protect your own identity by misleading the conversation.

SilverishGoldNova

I dont think people should be required to use their real names

CYDdharta

How could such a idea ever be implemented?  How could the US force the rest of the world to comply?  How could the accuracy of the identities be proven and maintained?

islander507

There are pros and cons of anonymity. Overall though I think that anonymous postings should be allowable.  Otherwise reddit wouldnt exist either.

islander507

And btw, there is no such a thing as perfect anonymity. In case of a serious issues, information can likely still be obtained by telecom companies and government under special circumstances.  

Erfisflat

Wake said:

@Erfisflat - Do you mean as opposed to how difficult it is to stand outside of a grade school and kidnap children in broad daylight?

Children taken by strangers or slight acquaintances represent only one-hundredth of 1 percent of all missing children.

You see, not everyone has the twisted sort of mind that you have. All you are doing is trying to protect your own identity by misleading the conversation.

I for one know how how hard it is to obtain someone lenses child from a school or daycare. But by all means, make it easier for them by putting their identity online. Especially with people like you on the internet. What are you? Pushing 90?

Erfisflat

It's unanimous so far, I guess @wake is the only psycho on debateisland that want a totalitarian style internet and does not respect other people's privacy.

Erfisflat

"Many many dangers from people having a different opinion than I do"

Wake

@CYDdharta - actually it's pretty easy. You cannot get on the internet without an account since these are not free you have to pay for them via credit accounts.

Wake

@islander507 - do you think that you should be bombarded by fake news in a format that you cannot check?

Wake

@Erfisflat - So to you it is totalitarian to be recognized for who you are? You must also belong to the KKK and hide beneath a white hood.

Erfisflat

Wake said:

@CYDdharta - actually it's pretty easy. You cannot get on the internet without an account since these are not free you have to pay for them via credit accounts.

Actually, you can. WiFi hot spots are open all over america. McDonald's,  walmart, etc etc.

Erfisflat

Wake said:

@Erfisflat - So to you it is totalitarian to be recognized for who you are? You must also belong to the KKK and hide beneath a white hood.

so now I "must be" in the KKK because i don't want psychos like you to know where I live? What an asinine statement.

Wake

@islander507 - Indeed - Facebook is beginning to feel the heat of the leftist lies that have used Facebook as a means of distribution. Have you noticed the so-called "polls" that show overwhelmingly that we all want strict gun control laws? And yet man-on-the-street polls show an overwhelming opposite view. Do you want YOUR government run by whoever is paying for a phone bank of posters in India? In the mid-terms it appears that Trump will win another 37 Republican seats in the House and we are being told that Trump is going to be impeached.

At what point does the Internet remain able to distribute absolutely fake news financed by one or two very rich people?

CYDdharta

Wake said:

@CYDdharta - actually it's pretty easy. You cannot get on the internet without an account since these are not free you have to pay for them via credit accounts.

True, as far as that goes, but you can still get on the internet using a burner smartphone and you can still set up an account using false information.  How would you force other governments to comply?

Erfisflat

In some cases, accusing someone of being in the Kkk, of being child molesters, hoping someone ends up in prison, or being the next Las Vegas shooter, or insinuating that you will "show them some blood" if they share their address for having a different opinion than the OP is totally acceptable behavior. By all means, @wake lead by example. What is your full name and address so that we may identify you for... reasons.

SilverishGoldNova

Wake said:

@Erfisflat - So to you it is totalitarian to be recognized for who you are? You must also belong to the KKK and hide beneath a white hood.

Ah. 2 new ones. First we were the Paris and Las Vegas "shooters", then we were child molesters, then we deserved to be killed by cops, then we deserved to get raped in prison, now were totalitarian racists? All because we have a different opinion than you.




@Erfisflat He's insane, he really needs help. He not only believes all of this but he will also change his position completely if either Me, You or Evidence have it too.  

Erfisflat

SilverishGoldNova said:

Wake said:

@Erfisflat - So to you it is totalitarian to be recognized for who you are? You must also belong to the KKK and hide beneath a white hood.

Ah. 2 new ones. First we were the Paris and Las Vegas "shooters", then we were child molesters, then we deserved to be killed by cops, then we deserved to get raped in prison, now were totalitarian racists? All because we have a different opinion than you.




@Erfisflat He's insane, he really needs help. He not only believes all of this but he will also change his position completely if either Me, You or Evidence have it too.  

I think he's one of those that joined a debate site to get his frustrations out. He probably doesn't know or care what a logical fallacy is. 

islander507

@Wake, you are basing your entire argument on a conflict with two specific people who are flat earthers.  They are not moderator of this site, but just one specific category where I think you got into some confrontations with them.  
I personally believe in their right to defend their opinion however you and I dont agree with it.  I believe that the earth is round, but will not engage in an indepth debate about that topic.  I also think that site administrator addressed that particular conflict between you guys.  

Saying that anonymous postings are not allowable is a hugh violation of freedom of speech and wouldn't want the government to have that much control.  You are right though that younger generation is too easily influenced by what they read online and fake news is a hugh problem.  I also agree with you that some back and forth ad hominem attacks on both sides at this point would tone down.

Erfisflat

150 national constitutions mention the right to privacy,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_privacy#cite_note-3

and because I know the earth is flat, and point out this obvious fact, this guy thinks we should reverse hundreds years of progress and let anyone and everyone monitor anything and everything that anyone and everyone does.