Is internet anonymity ruining humanity?

a reply to: Loveaduck

So in a roundabout way you are saying: yes the internet bad however your kids arnt and if you teach them how to use it its actually okay.

I fully agree (if thats what indeed you were getting at)

however what about the millions that dont, kids, old people, simily misinformed people?

Emotionally and some times sexually: its a mine field

So, let me get this straight, a bunch of anonymous people on the Internet are talking about how bad anonymity on the Internet is.

Mmmm ... okay.

It's a double-edged sword really.

Many great things have become easily accessible for us with a simple keystroke - the world has become our oyster. But as always, the darker side of humanity will seek out ways to feed their demons.

And just like with everything else in life, the bad going hand in hand with the good is "par for the course".

originally posted by: Biigs
actually: quite pertinent to this subject....

Why is internet anonymity so guarded and held in such high regard.

The freedom to free speech is for PEOPLE who stand up and say their bit.

Because in no other time in history have people had so much freedom to connect with others around the planet against the wishes of their masters, oppressors, and censors.

Because in no other time in history have large institutions had to compete with the voices of those who they could normally strike down by force.

Living in a comparatively wealthy and free nation it's easy to forget these things, and constantly listening to the media implies that there are significant groups of people linking up like the evil Avengers to kidnap children, murder, and have the Simpsons cancelled ... but the reality is that in most western nations crime is falling, the evil Avengers aren't winning, and no one cares if people like the Simpsons.

It may end up being a relatively short period of history all up. A few decades of air before plunging back into the depths with your destiny overwhelmingly constrained by which geographic location you were born in, by the understanding or lack thereof of your close peers, and by the ever watchful eye of Sauron ... but I don't believe it's been terrible at all

Mind you, the overall premise is flawed to some extent. You're never really anonymous online, but if you have thirty minutes left before TPTB break down your door it's much more effective than posting a letter.

Short answer, yes. Rapidly.

The internet brings out the absolute worst of people, and it does so in a manner in which those who would normally not be obnoxious, soulless, and disgusting in real life, have the opportunity to do so with anonymity. Read the most innocent, upbeat news article online, and then read the comments. You'll be disappointed every single time.

a reply to: usernameconspiracy

I'm fairly certain most of those posts come from the same like 12 persons who have nothing better to do that day.

Besides, take a glance at the Malleus Maleficarum ... Internet would have debunked that in short order I imagine.

You could make a case for the fact that the internet allows a dark side to bloom or be used. But some countries take people to jail over online hate speech. I remember the FCC was supposedly working on some hate speech standard that was several years away. That would be crazy to get a ticket in the mail for a comment you posted lol. In retrospect I thought the FCC standards with regards to msm werent considered "laws" so Im not sure why it would ever work

www.independentsentinel.com...


In the military some organizations have demoted people for negative comments on facebook and twitter that are disrespectful to military heritage...or the commander in chief.

a reply to: Pinke

im saying such an unprecedented amount of freedom [while being anonymous] while appearing good might on the whole, might actually be bad.

How many people have had their *insert internet thing* account hacked?

somone could hack your account and do somthing illegal with it and what are able to do about it?

a reply to: Biigs


No, I really didn't say teach anyone to use it. I said watch them. Monitor them every minute and use blocks so they can only go to site you trust and know are safe. Those kinds of things. I do not trust children to be able to make some of these judgement calls on their own. Kids have a tendency to take unusual risks, thinking they are immortal or something.