Re: Anonymity: A Modest Proposal

[loki@obscura.com (Lance Cottrell)]

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At 3:35 PM 10/23/95, Futplex wrote:
>Lance Cottrell writes:
>> I think one solution to this problem is to encourage (require) the use of
>> pseudonym servers. Having a server like alpha as the entity on the from
>> line has several advantages.
>>
>> 1) Less Spam since it takes some effort to set up the nym and it will be
>> taken away as soon as the spam starts.
>
>I fear this will be a short-lived gain. User-friendly scripts for
>establishing pseudonymous accounts are pretty easy to write. They may be
>beyond the average Fast Money Maker, but I expect myself and others will be
>putting them out on the Net for general consumption.

One need not automate the process of setting up anonymous accounts. One
might also require some sort of exchange before activating the nym to
verify that the return address is working.

<SNIP>
>Semi-permanent account status confers privileges to the user, IMHO. I
>believe a pseudonymous account ideally should be treated the same as a
>regular account on an ISP. For example, an admin will not unilaterally close
>an account upon receiving a single complaint about the account user.
>Certainly I don't know of an ISP that routinely blocks its users' accounts
>from sending mail to selected other accounts. Lest I seem too presumptuous,
>let me say that I realize all immediately foreseeable pseudonymizers are
>free services. Clearly these service providers can set whatever policies they
>wish, and are not directly competing with the fee-charging ISPs. Perhaps
>future fee-charging pseudonymizers will consider these criteria in offering
>enhanced services.
>
>-Futplex <futplex@pseudonym.com>

I agree. With both free and for-fee nym servers must clearly spell out what
actions will result in the termination of the nym. Perhaps 1 spam, 1
systematic harassment, or more than 5 serious complaints per month. Obvious
this would need to be tuned to preserve free speech while allowing abusers
to be quickly squelched. I would imagine an ecology of these servers would
develop with some short lived permissive servers mixed with long lived more
restrictive ones.

        -Lance


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Lance Cottrell   loki@obscura.com
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"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra.  Suddenly
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                        --Nietzsche
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