Is being anonymous on ATS the right thing? I dont think so.

reply to post by MrRed


well thankfully, what you want doesn't really matter in terms of administration procedures of ATS. i've got real problems with anyone who wants my real life info over the net. if i remember correctly there was another member who wanted everyone to have to give their real info. he was a new member too. haven't seen him in awhile i don't think. makes me wonder...are you a real spook? The amigos agree so far as i'm aware that anonymity is best on ATS. if you don't like it, there are plenty of other boards, or you could make your own. gather data all you want

Originally posted by snusfanatic
reply to post by MrRed

 

Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.

- McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm'n, 514 U.S. 334 (1995).

I see where you're coming from, but despite our differences on this site, we must remember that we're all a minority in the greater society. The benefit of revealing ourselves to each other would be dwarfed by the chilling effect that knowing we're not anonymous would have on our discourse here.

Anonymity makes a better ATS.

I'd rather have a less-polite but vibrant community here then the kind of lame, college-newspaper platitudes you see when people have to moderate themselves out in the open. There's anonymity of name and there's anonymity of ideas. Sometimes you can only take the veal of anonymity off of ideas, and truth, by shielding the thinker's face.

edit on 18-10-2010 by snusfanatic because: (no reason given)

Well to me, its all been undone by the governments anyway. there is no anonymity left. So in that case the more people willing to stand together and fight should be a good thing.

This can not be done if you dont know who you are fight WITH.

Alos it protects the COWARD who lingers and lurks in the shadows. Too afraid to confront people face-to-face.

Maybe I just like to be able to look someone in the eye when they are talking BS.

reply to post by MrRed


Take it ur shallow. So what if a really creepy looking dude or girl actually had something important to share. Would you just sweep them aside because of the way they look?

Really can't see what the reason is for your obsession with real face pics.

reply to post by MrRed


Okay so im a (noob) but not when it comes to life just this site relitively. I was once on before but no i did not get kicked off my ex deleted my email somehow. anyways. i really feel that this site has quite a bit of potental. i dont feel at times the need to explain myself for the following reasons. If it is a personal experience i dont feel it ANY persons perogitive to make it there business to tell me what i felt what i saw was a spititual occurence. Yes i am what they would call the shaggy from scooby doo person out of the group as well as a Seth McFarlen sense of humor. I posted what would be called a weak attempt at an intro. But honestly i wanted to see how truly honest and good hearted people were here on this site. I got maybe 3 or 4 replies. Didnt bother me other in the sense that it should be an equal involvement for everyone like the maker of this thread is speaking of. What i feel is an even simpler way to solve this problem, i propose people must write a worth while essay stating there agenda for signing up for this site~! no?

reply to post by SlovenlyGhost


read my post properly.

read the persons to whom i was replying before commenting.

Originally posted by MrRed
I for one would not be judging someone beauty on a forum like this.

No.

Likely not.

But what about those who do? Would you really still prefer it even after only one member had been stalked because their face interested a perv in some twisted way?

reply to post by MrRed

Maybe I just like to be able to look someone in the eye when they are talking BS.

My suggestion? Go to a bar.

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by MrRed

 

Maybe I just like to be able to look someone in the eye when they are talking BS.

My suggestion? Go to a bar.

Or create a site called abovetopfacebook.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by XXXN3O


that would be the most hilarious peice of comedy if someone made a skit of something like that on SNL or something>?

reply to post by momoney


Ah, now you are talking about Stalking. that is against the LAW and that persons details could be passed to the Authorities by the ATS admin.

i know its stupid but you know i dont give a damn....


i do use my real name on here . its something im proud of .

Originally posted by MrRed
Ah, now you are talking about Stalking. that is against the LAW and that persons details could be passed to the Authorities by the ATS admin.

True, but it's always after the fact, isn't it?

Best leave the choice up to the individual to either post their face or not.

reply to post by MrRed


fights, as you call them - i'd call them debates, here shouldn't be about what degrees or names people have. they should be about the ideas.

you seek to stop people from sitting on their high-horse, etc. laying bare our true identities here wouldn't stop that at all. it wouldn't knock everyone off their high-horse, it would just rearrange us on to new horses. some high, some low just like now.

if you don't like the rudeness now, when our identities are nothing but a collection of ideas collected under a specific screen name or profile - imagine how much greater the rudeness, self-satisfaction and bitterness will be among people with a view into others true identity.

today's anonymous but polite poster could very well be tomorrow's 'little napoleon' if suddenly they find that their education, for instance, is above average on this site.

plus, don't forget, that our posts and threads are already logged. people who made these posts and threads under the expectation of anonymity would be unfairly exposed to their friends and colleagues who may have no idea they're on ats.

laying out our identities would create an endless number of rabbit-holes and insults for our conversations to go down. i like it better this way.

comment retracted
...

Originally posted by MrRed
reply to post by momoney

 

Ah, now you are talking about Stalking. that is against the LAW and that persons details could be passed to the Authorities by the ATS admin.

C'mon chief. I see your point but the whole idea of ATS is to offer anonymity or not when it comes to research, experiences or anything else that is sensitive to the poster or beyond the norm to others etc.

The community looks at the information given and shares their thoughts and builds upon it.

If you had a strange experience or had some serious information to disclose, its not going to do any good to have your face splattered over it is it?

You can post your face on your avatar if you wish, why have you not done this if you advocate it?

Originally posted by alysha.angel
i know its stupid but you know i dont give a damn....


i do use my real name on here . its something im proud of .

Thank you,

As do I. My name is Mr Red. Although it has a double D. As in Mr Redd.

I can see so many things wrong with this. First of all, we have members who are under the age of 18. the age limit would have to be raised.
Not everyone is mentally stable on this site.
This is a site where people often get into heated debates.
I can see it now. Person A posts something that offends person B, person B already mentally unstable snaps. Person B knowing person A's name discovers person A lives in the next town over. Person A just gained a stalker and is now receiving death threats taped to their front door.

Originally posted by calstorm
I can see so many things wrong with this. First of all, we have members who are under the age of 18. the age limit would have to be raised.
Not everyone is mentally stable on this site.
This is a site where people often get into heated debates.
I can see it now. Person A posts something that offends person B, person B already mentally unstable snaps. Person B knowing person A's name discovers person A lives in the next town over. Person A just gained a stalker and is now receiving death threats taped to their front door.

That my friend, is real LIFE.

It can happen anywhere.

It should not be used as a barrier.