booth@ucla-cs.UUCP (11/09/84)
> From: bytebug@pertec.UUCP (roger long) > > > From: ucla-cs!booth > > Someone privately mentioned the need for anonymous postings to newsgroups. > > Does anyone really agree that people have the right to post anonymously > to the net? No one should have the *right* to post anonymously, though there is a *need* for anonymous postings. Each anonymous posting should probably be sponsored by some non-anonymous individual who (necessarily) knows the authors identity. -- David Booth {sdcrdcf,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!booth booth@ucla-locus.ARPA
edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall) (11/10/84)
Agreed; one very good reason for anonymous postings is the ability to make sensitive self-revelations. Another, perhaps less-justifiable one is a posting from someone whose does not want their employer/ administrator to know about it. In both cases anonymous postings can contribute to freedom of speach without any malicious intent or effect whatever. However, I like the idea of having some identified person make the actual posting to avoid complete irresponsibility. This could be a moderator (it's already happened) or some other sponsor (and once again, this has happened many times). But I don't like at all the idea of completely unidentified postings. Comments? -Ed Hall decvax!randvax!edhall
woods@hao.UUCP (Greg "Bucket" Woods) (11/15/84)
> Agreed; one very good reason for anonymous postings is the ability to > make sensitive self-revelations. Another, perhaps less-justifiable > one is a posting from someone whose does not want their employer/ > administrator to know about it. > I think these priorities are reversed. If you don't identify yourself, then I can't consider it a "self-revelation". If you aren't willing to take responsibility for what you said, it doesn't mean doodley squat. The second of these is tougher for me to relate to, because I can post pretty much what I please here as long as I rotate anything which might be offensive to some people. But I *can* see this as a real issue. But even here, if you aren't willing to stand behind what you said, it doesn't show very much conviction (at the very least, it shows that your job is more important to you than the whatever principle it is that you are backing in an anonymous article) and I'm probably going to want to invalidate it. --Greg -- {ucbvax!hplabs | allegra!nbires | decvax!stcvax | harpo!seismo | ihnp4!stcvax} !hao!woods "...once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right..."