UK Government Report Recommends Ending Online Anonymity

Posted by timothy on Thursday July 31, 2014 @07:29AM from the but-you-have-a-right-to-be-forgotten dept.

An anonymous reader writes with a bit of pith from TechDirt: Every so often, people who don't really understand the importance of anonymity or how it enables free speech (especially among marginalized people), think they have a brilliant idea: "just end real anonymity online." They don't seem to understand just how shortsighted such an idea is. It's one that stems from the privilege of being in power. And who knows that particular privilege better than members of the House of Lords in the UK — a group that is more or less defined by excess privilege? The Communications Committee of the House of Lords has now issued a report concerning "social media and criminal offenses" in which they basically recommend scrapping anonymity online.

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Online in England, maybe by Anonymous Coward · 2014-07-31 07:30 · Score: 5, Insightful

Maybe they forgot that the Internet has no borders?
Have government go first. by hsthompson69 · 2014-07-31 07:44 · Score: 5, Insightful

If government wants to have peeps into our private lives, I say they should offer themselves up first. Have every government employee's financial records, emails, purchases, and other records completely public. Install GPS trackers on them so we can all track their movement. Put cameras in their homes, cars, and offices so that we can watch them 24/7.
If they want the panopticon, let them go first.