From: daleh@ix.netcom.com (Dale Harrison (AEGIS))
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 95 11:40:33 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Wall Street Journal Article
Message-ID: <199501271939.LAA14460@ix3.ix.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


This may have been mentioned, if so please ignore.  

There was an interesting article in Thursday's Wall Street 
Journal calling for the end of anonymous communications on the Internet.
It is on page B1 under the "Personal Technology" column and was written 
by Walter Mossberg (mossberg@wsj.com) who invites comment.  

Just a couple of quotes: 

"When forums operate under the cloak of anonymity, it's no differenct 
from printing a newpaper in which the bylines are admittedly fake, and 
the letters to the editor are untraceable." 

and 

"It <anonymous communications> makes it easier to spread wild conspiracy 
theories, smear people, conduct financial scams or victimize others 
sexually."

He goes on to discuss the other two BIG problems on the Internet, those 
being "Incivility" (flaming for breach of netiquette) and "Censorship" 
(cancelling of spams).


Dale H.