Bill Would End Anonymous Posting

[Blisspath]

I think its time to cut congress's pay and send them home half the year. They seem to have way too much time on their hands.
http://www.wtvq.com/content/midatlantic/tvq/video.apx.-content-articles-TVQ-2008-03-05-0011.html

[Icey]

The link isn't working for me. =/

But if this is about ending anonymous posting on internet forums, that's not only stupid but also unwise. Yeah, I really want my name public, so that people can search for my address and phone number online and track me down. We all know that there are some nutsos on the internet (anyone ever watch Chris Hansen) and how bad of an idea it is to give out personal information freely on the internet, but we also know generally all you need is a name, if it's unique enough, to find out a bunch about someone.

As for Congress wasting time... I think it has to do with the current deadlock in government. With a small Democratic majority in Congress and a sitting Republican president, neither of which are willing to deal with the other, nothing of substance is going to get done. Still, I wish they would stop wasting time on stupid shit like baseball.

Edit: Okay, the link is working now. If this thing passed enforcement would be a nightmare. Think of the cost... for something that would have a small benefit, it sure would take a lot of time and effort. Reminds me of the war on drugs in some respects, it would just be a drain. However I'd like to point out that this guy is just a representative, so he doesn't have a whole lot of influence, and I doubt this would be passed in any case.

[phattonez]

So what information would I need to give out? My name, address, SSN? I don't walk around talking to people in public with all of this; I don't even have to give my real name. Why would I have to do this on the internet?

[Pineconn]

The article says the bill was simply filed, so I doubt it'll be passed. Though the bill serves a good purpose.......it sucks. It really is impossible to regulate an area of the Internet that large.

[Archibaldo]

Agreed with Phatt, what's stopping my from using a fake name, address and email. Is the government going to track down every single internet user who registers any where to see if they're lying. No matter what the system, it can be beaten. Some just more easily than others.

[rock_nog]

Not to mention, it's a pretty clear violation of our right to privacy, a right which, while not explicitly stated in the Constitution, has been repeated held up in the Supreme Court as a right inferred by several amendments from the Bill of Rights.

Granted, this particular bill is utterly ridiculous, and has no chance of passing, but it's gotta make you think about the current state of privacy in this country. How much longer 'till we have no privacy left? I mean, at this point, with the technology that currently exists, privacy is only on "good faith" as it is. We have to simply trust that corporations, or the government, won't spy on us.

And who the hell are we supposed to turn to? Obviously not corporate interests - they want as much personal data as they can get. The government is SUPPOSED to protect our rights, but they seem even more hellbent on spying on us than corporate interests. How much longer until privacy is dead?

[phattonez]

rock_nog, looking at the UK's pace, it won't be too long at all.

[Zaphod Q. IX]

... My name, address, SSN? I don't walk around talking to people in public with all of this; I don't even have to give my real name. Why would I have to do this on the internet?

If I had to give my name, address, and maybe ssn, I would not post on any forum. Hell, 99% of you don't even know my first name.

That's a good thing.

[Icey]

If I had to give my name, address, and maybe ssn, I would not post on any forum. Hell, 99% of you don't even know my first name.

That's a good thing.

Agreed completely. For one, my last name is unique, so it'd be incredibly easy to look up (as opposed to something run of the mill like "Joe Smith"). So even if I just had to give my whole name, I most likely wouldn't. Address... no way. It's not that I'm going to act like a prick and hide behind my anonymity, it's that I doubt it's safe to give out information like that.

[Zaphod Q. IX]

...as opposed to something run of the mill like "Joe Smith"

That's my grandfather's name...for real. He gets crap for it sometimes...
I have a Zippo with his signature engraved on it...it was made in 1952.
;)

I doubt it's safe to give out information like that.
It's not.

[Icey]

Heh, sorry. No offense intended... nothing wrong with a name like that. You know what my point was.

[erm2003]

Whoever proposed this wasn't thinking. How could they expect to enforce this when most sites have members in several different countries? They can't really. I am not worried. I doubt this will amount to anything.

[Aegix Drakan]

dude....this is retarded.

>_> Anonymity is what makes internet forums "work". You can post your opinions without having to worry about your real life getting messed up for it.

And I don't go telling my name to random people on the street, so why would I want to tell random people ON THE NET?

Seriously. Only TWO people online know my real name, and they are people I trust. NOBODY knows my last name. And seriously, if they figured out my last name, and knew I'm from Canada, there are only about...10 people in the country with my last name, 4 of them in my city. Not too hard for them to track me like that. >_>

This would only cause more problems than it solves. And I LIKE using the name "Aegix Drakan". >_> I like that name a bit better than the one I was given. More unique and cool.


I know that cyber bullying is a major problem, but this is not the solution.

[Zelda_Warrior]

This would never pass due to the fact that forcing you to give out your information like that makes big security holes, and hardly ever is a bill passed that hurts safety/security (Well mostly.. But i wont go into details on that one)

[Pineconn]

NOBODY knows my last name.

I'm guessing it's not "Drakan", then?

Hehe, I can't want until russadwan comes here. ;)

[Breaker]

Something like this could never be enforced. There are hundreds if not thousands of stupid bills put forward every year that get shot down. Something like this would never have a chance of getting passed.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, this is just too large of a scope. Hell, almost every internet account I have is registered under a consistent, false name? How are they going to find me?

[Shyvus]

I think it's pointless. You can find any info about anyone online, and if you can't, there are services that you can pay to have someone else find it for you.

You can't even hide on the internet with an anonymous name. Through a combination of too much time on google, hacking and spyware along with some other methods you can find the activities of any person online.

[King Aquamentus]

Whoever proposed this wasn't thinking. How could they expect to enforce this when most sites have members in several different countries? They can't really. I am not worried. I doubt this will amount to anything.
And this is why America's attempts to control the internet thus far are pure bullshit. I'm looking at you, hillary.