Is it the end of Internet Anonymity?
I have just been asked to comment on this article on the end of online anonymity on the read write web.
My thoughts are this …
Is on line anonymity dead? The read write web think that the ground breaking case of the US state vs Lori Drew implies that the behaviour of Impersonating (Imping) is now illegal. I think this raises a bigger question, does human kind have a right to anonymity? and if so, is the behaviour of the judiciary, the bureaucracy and commercial organizations in exploiting new technology to find out even more about us infringing on that right?
The secret ballet is an essential balance in the mechanism of democracy, and as such there is at least one piece of anonymity that a judiciary must protect. However society must be protected. Some might say that anonymity is a privilege rather than a right and that it is the individuals responsibility to guard their own anonymity. If the individual chooses to engage in a criminal activity such as grooming then they relinquish their rights.
My fear is that state will be slow in its response to technical innovation, there is no point shutting the stable door once the horse has bolted.
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