When I Am King – Anonymous Internet Posts Will be Banned

I guess this is what REAL bloggers do. They post regularly. They deal with current events...the immediate and topical...what a concept. This latest Edict is prompted by a news item from three weeks ago. That’s current...sort of. However, this desire of mine has been on the Wish List for years.

The good news out of England was the decision to put Jane Austen’s likeness on the new £10 note. The bad news was that it spurred a bunch of Neanderthals to post some rather disgusting tweets for the world to see. To call the statements ‘misogynistic’ makes misogynists look good. Women who spoke out in support of the new currency received messages that threatened kidnap, rape, beatings and bombings. Of course, all the tweets were anonymous.

These hidden scum have their own name – ‘trolls’...and the hate they post is called ‘trolling’. How cute. The fairy tale character that lives under the bridge. I can think of other names.

Ruth Marcus wrote a fine commentary on this. I like her conclusion – “The Internet has weaponized hate speech.” I don’t tweet but I have long been against crude incivility and dumb-ass replies [“You suck!” “No, YOU suck!” Brilliant. Socrates would be so proud.]. Now, it’s threats of mayhem and other criminal acts. What makes people think this is OK?

I like to read commentary. Along with the sports, comics, obituaries, movie times, weather and other news, the editorial page is why I enjoy the daily newspaper. I know. I’m old and still cling to that archaic preference for an actual, paper THING in my hands...where ALL that stuff is...in the same place. Cue the savvy, cool, Internet users rolling their eyes.

Call me old-fashioned but I want more of my learning and mental stimulation to come from sources other than a screen. If newspapers disappear, society will lose more than just knowing what’s going on. Think about what many people do when they believe the rest of us aren’t looking and don’t know what’s going on. They do it every time.

But I digress. Sometimes, I read commentary on-line. The advantage there is that you can also see readers’ replies. Among the respondents, you will find all manner of clever wordplay in place of authors’ names. And who out there is surprised at this directly proportional relationship? The more considerate and polite replies seem to be from writers whose handles resemble real names while the mean, boorish, bellicose dreck comes from ‘USADUDE or SKYFART21.

I have discussed this with friends and, of course, they point out valid reasons why this could never happen. You can’t police speech that way. What if someone writes from work or the library’s computer? What about whistle blowers who have valid reasons to hide their identity? I know this is fantasy...just like me being King.

So, when I am King, anonymous communications will be banned. All replies, comments, feedback and other pronouncements made on the Internet will be under peoples’ real names. All web site and internet software will require a name to be filled in and it will already be filled in...with your name. How? I will commission a team of brilliant scientists who will invent an app that analyzes the information in your finger tips and breath to identify the unique person that you are...and the ‘From’ part of your note will already be filled in. I guess if you want to actually write a letter to mail or compose your threat by cutting and pasting newspaper words, like in the old movies, you can still do that...provided there are still newspapers around.

I’m just tired of the snarky, ignorant mud-slinging that serves as repartee nowadays. The internet was supposed to be democratic and free but has become ‘classless’ in the worst sense of the word. Freedom of expression is a wonderful thing but the right to be stupid should come with the responsibility to be identified with your opinions.

After that, I will make political ads fully transparent. Instead of a plug that ends with, “Paid for by Americans for America and the American Way”, there will be names of REAL people and REAL organizations.

Vote for me for King.