Should Anonymity Be Allowed On Social Media Sites?

[youngmafbog]

I wonder how many ABers would be left if Priti acts on this? (Perhaps a poll there ED?)

Personally, I'm on the fence here a bit. On one side I see the need to be able to express your view without risk of physical attack (which will happen) but at the same time I see the problem with anonymous users attacking and smearing people with no recourse from the victim.

Thoughts Ladies and Gentlemen?


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/priti-patel-david-amess-social-media-b1939775.html

[burlyshirley]

Would it count on here, I only use this site ? I often wonder why people use other sites where you can be abused so much, maybe stop using them, or is it not that easy ?

[rowanwitch]

It might help reduce some of the worst abuses but how it could be enforced or people would prove their identity is difficult to imagine. Providers being able to release users information to re!evant authorities without the need to go through the courts would be a start. Joining social media sites with proof of who you are by means of something held centrally like a national insurance number ( if security was better of course) might help.

[barry1010]

Anonymity is essential for social media in many cases because of employment, those who have escaped abusive relationships, those seeking sensitive advice - there are many genuine reasons for needing to be anonymous.

[barry1010]

rowan, sadly the use of Tor and VPN can make it impossible for the authorities to trace the offenders.

[barry1010]

Any such law in this country would not apply to people living abroad so the abuse would not stop.
Get a PAYG SIM card, don't register it and you are untraceable.

The social media sites need to better equipped to remove offensive posts quickly but that is a huge task - how many twitter posts are posted every second?

[rowanwitch]

I think we will have to learn to live with the dangers, bit like covid without a vaccine, you know there's a risk of harm but you do it anyway.

[ichkeria]

Anonmyity at the point of use, perhaps, but easier to unmask the abusers etc
As in so many cases, technology ought to be able to help find a solution

[AuntPG]

//Should Anonymity Be Allowed On Social Media Sites?//

It already is allowed; do you mean should it be removed? Most of the popular platforms such as Twitter and What's App rely on real people posting -how can you follow someone if you don't know who they are?

[ToraToraTora]

I think she has a point and certainly for twitface et al, beloved of the masses, it is necessary. I don't really think of AB in the same bracket as those but technically I suppose it does count. If it did go ahead and I could not use AB anonymously then I'd have to sign off. We need to see the parameters of exactly what they'd class as a social media site. AB is ostensibly a Q and A forum, perhaps it could be altered to work within the new rules, eg remove chatterbank for example.

[ichkeria]

Presumably much of the abuse doesn't come from people who are being followed.

[AuntPG]

TTT // I think she has a point and certainly for twitface et al, beloved of the masses, it is necessary.//

People are not anonymous on Twitter -how can you follow a public figure if they are anonymous?
Also its quite difficult to become anonymous on Twitter (quote)

"You can stay anonymous on Twitter™ by using an anonymous online micro-blogging service, setting up a proxy Internet connection, disabling the geolocation tool on Twitter™, and masking your Internet protocol (IP) address.

[lankeela]

I've got no problem with identifying myself - I also think a lot of people make themselves 'victims' on social media by what they post.

[ToraToraTora]

APG: "People are not anonymous on Twitter -how can you follow a public figure if they are anonymous? " - we are talking about the Troll abusers, they register on twitface anonymously and do their trolling and abusing.

[barry1010]

TTT, why do you need to be anonymous on AB?

[ToraToraTora]

APG: "Also its quite difficult to become anonymous on Twitter (quote)" - have a day off, it's easy to set up and access via TOR for example, un traceable.

[barry1010]

There are a lot of fake accounts pretending to be famous people on Twitter, too - they cause a lot of problems.

[ichkeria]

Anyone can follow you on twitter if you allow them.

The account that follows you doesn't have to reveal an identity

[ToraToraTora]

barry, good question, I suppose I just don't want to be out there for the nut jobs to see. I don't want to take a chance on having some eejit turning up at my front door. I am not on twitface etc for the same reason.

[AuntPG]

Lankeela -victim shaming? really?

[AuntPG]

TTT // APG: "Also its quite difficult to become anonymous on Twitter (quote)" - have a day off,//

A day off...now that would be nice.