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Huffington: Trolls Uglier Than Ever, So We're Cutting Off Anonymous Commenting
v3rgEz writes "The days of anonymous commenting on The Huffington Post are numbered. Founder Arianna Huffington said in a question-and-answer session with reporters in Boston Wednesday that the online news site plans to require users to comment on stories under their real names, beginning next month. 'Freedom of expression is given to people who stand up for what they’re saying and not hiding behind anonymity,' Huffington said."
Although I think this is a stupid policy, I have a very simple answer. I won't bother posting comments on The Huffington Post. It's not like I give a shit about them in the first place.
The USA was founded by use of Anonymous Pamphleteers. The British desperately want the Colonists to use their real names. The British wanted to arrest, imprison and execute these Anonymous Pamphleteers. Were it not for anonymous posting, there would be no USA.
The USA Constitution provides for "freedom of speech". Speech cannot be free under an oppressive or tyrannical political system without anonymity.
While Huffinton may want people to be "civil", she is actually contributing to the destruction of both civility and freedom.
You can assign a low base score for ACs, and then filter them out using the score filter. That's the right kind of system: it doesn't preclude them from saying things if they have things to say, nor from people volunteering to hear them, but it doesn't require you to listen if you don't want to.
If I was independently wealthy too, it would be easy to post under my real name and damn the consequences.
Most of us have to work though, and are at the mercy of the Arianna Huffington's of the world for employment. As long as my future employment is contingent on what people like her think about whatever comes up when my name is googled, I'm not free to speak under my real name.
Well considering that Republicans think Obama was responsible for the Katrina debacle, I wouldn't expect any sane responses at all.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/08/21/louisiana_gop_blame_obama_more_for_katrina_response.html
The truth doesn't need anyone 'standing behind it.' It is self evident. Individuals (or societies) who ignore it will end up chewed apart by it eventually. Whether the argument is made by 'anonymous' or 'john smith' is immaterial.
OK. Try assembling the chronological arguments of Anonymous Coward. Even a fake moniker like yours and mine will display a history of thought. AC comments cannot.
http://xkcd.com/202/
Moderation, at least on slashdot, is not intended to find truth.
It's intended to promote discussion and hide trolls and abuse.
Moderators are supposed to up mod posts when they are on topic and interesting - there is no "-1 disagree" mod here.
I think this system would be best, if the moderators actually followed the rules.