Is it time to crack down on 4Chan

[Porkens]

and other hate-spewing sites?

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/ ... ght/588352

Or is it primarily a gun control issue?

Probably a combination of both plus obviously severe mental health disturbances. But what is extremely clear what all of these religious based mass shootings, including the one South Carolina as well as the the gay nightclub massacre in Orlando, is that all of the victims were minorities and targets of the alt-right.

The internet is real life. We should treat real life like real life. Freedom of speech? Yes. Anonymity? No. Must regulate the internet.

[Porkens]

You can't stop anonymous hate speech without radically restructuring the whole internet.

That may be true, but we need to do it.

It is not possible for massive public platforms to self police. It’s commerce it’s public and it needs to be regulated. People should not be able to make anonymous death threats in private or in public.

[Porkens]

Totally agree. I started on dial-up BBSs so I know why anonymity is appealing. Back then, anonymity seemed essential to me because I didn't want anyone to be able to find out who I was in case they tried to harass or harm me, and everyone was anonymous so there was a sense of freedom.

But humans are just apes, and what we have chosen to do with anonymity proves why society can't allow it. Everyone's information is online now. You can not opt out anymore. If you want to access public or public-facing services, you must be online - and they digitize your information when you use them.

There is no protective anonymity for real people just trying to live their lives. If someone is pissed off at me, they can look me up, find my information, and attack me in any number of ways. But that has always been true. Phonebooks, public records, birth certificates - you can find anyone.

What we as a society must be able to hold people to account for committing crimes. Anonymity obstructs that justice.