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Re:Digital IDs needed to end 'mob rule' online, says UK secu... by toyg on Sunday June 10, 2018 @10:06AM (#17278162)
> fewer people would participate in such mobbing if they were all forced to do so with their real identity.

I disagree. Mobbing existed before anonymity; in fact, it was very much the norm -- the concept of "honor" is often tied to public displays of condemnation for the "dishonorable". Publicity makes it harder for people to disagree with what is perceived as the opinion of the majority, as unpalatable and uncivilized as it might be. This is why political votes are secret, among others; or why the Gospels explicitly warn against public displays of faith.

Every group of people will have its "dishonorable" enemies, and will always be keen to publicly shame them. Forcing people to attach their public identities to online activity will do nothing to dissuade people who see such actions as a badge of honor, but it will chill the display of dissent from the status quo.

Re:Digital IDs needed to end 'mob rule' online, says UK secu... by threeseed on Sunday June 10, 2018 @10:13AM (#17278196)
Not sure this is true though.

Mobs existed before because there were so many people that you were effectively an anonymous member of it. Similar to behaviour in protests today.

However removing anonymity today would be difference since everyone could see your name and could get you fired, killed etc. Hence the OP is right that you would see less mobs.

Re:Digital IDs needed to end 'mob rule' online, says UK secu... by toyg on Sunday June 10, 2018 @11:58AM (#17278696)
No, the mass dimension is a modern phenomenon. "Mobs" in the past were 20 villagers doing things like burning a witch at the stakes. Everyone knew everyone else, and nobody would speak out for the witch precisely because their identity and reputation would have suffered from it.

Removing anonymity will just reduce the possibility to express a dissenting opinion. This is why authoritarian systems the world over have always loved ID cards and the likes.