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A comment on Digital IDs needed to end 'mob rule' online, says UK security minister. Parent comment

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.

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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.

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