From: m5@vail.tivoli.com (Mike McNally)
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 93 06:38:39 PST
To: Matthew J Ghio <mg5n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: ID of anonymous posters via word analysis?
In-Reply-To: <UgrhHYO00awHE1oVdw@andrew.cmu.edu>
Message-ID: <9311091431.AA17374@vail.tivoli.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Matthew J Ghio writes:
 > Just reading this list I'm sure it would be fairly clear that word
 > analysis could be used to identify posters.

Though I agree with some other contributors that iron-clad
identification may require substantial amounts of material, I think
Mr. Ghio's point is correct to the extent that a party can satisfy
itself informally that a particular anonymous post is from some
well-known identity.  Though the evidence may be useless in a legal
sense, that's not a problem in some contexts.

For example, if Bob Scum is posting anonymously some risky notes to
a particular mailing list or newsgroup, it may be quite unfortunate
for Bob if mere suspicion arises that the notes are from him.  That
suspicion need not be based on admissable-in-court evidence; if it's
noted by someone that both Bob and the anonymous author routinely use
the word "copacetic", things could heat up for poor Bob.  If the risky
notes involve some socially unacceptable topics like drug use or
pornography, the fact that Bob can't actually be convicted is
unimportant. 

--
Mike McNally