China Will Require Real Name Registration for the Interwebs

[Omon_Ra]

As of March 1, China will require internet users to use their real names for internet registration. They are putting the burden on ISP's and internet companies to enforce the new rules, which I suppose would make sense, but does that one online identity from your ISP persist throughout all websites? What about forums? Will LTT have to force Chinese users to use their real names rather than their screen name/alias?

 

Overall this is a horrid and Orwellian idea (more so than the Chinese internet and 'Great Firewall' already are). I can imagine Obama and the rest of the ruling elite seeing this move and thinking that it's a good idea. My biggest issue is that a lot of the reasoning behind this it is to 'halt the spread of rumors.' At least the Chinese government is being somewhat open about their paranoia, as opposed to the US. 

 

As far as real names versus aliases on the internet overall, I think it's important that people can 'hide' their identities. Partly because the relative anonymity makes the internet so great and partly because it allows people to say, question, and approach things with lesser risk to their IRL being. There's the anti-'cyber-bullying' people that think using real names reduces bullying/harassment, but last I checked people still bully and harass people IRL. So I ask you LTT members, how would you feel if you had to use your real name for the internet (aside from Facebook, LinkedIn and other sites like that)?

 

http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/china-to-require-real-name-registration-on-internet-1201423378/

 

China is to require that the country’s 650 million Internet users use their real names when registering online.

 

The new rule comes into effect from March 1 and is intended to halt the spread of rumors and the use of social media accounts masquerading as public figures.

 

Internet service providers and Internet companies will have the first responsibility of enforcing the rules, according to the Cyberspace Administration of China.

 

Earlier this week the CAC accused portal NetEase of providing a platform for spreading rumors and pornography. Last month it ordered the closing down of 133 accounts on WeChat, the messaging, chat and microblogging service operated by Tencent, which it said ‘distorted history.’

 

Under President Xi Jinping, China has been stepping up its already sophisticated and pervasive controls over the Internet.

 

Last week, the country’s online policing service known colloquially as ‘The Great Firewall of China’ stepped up measures to prevent Chinese Internet-users using virtual private networks. VPN software allows users to make their connections secure and also to appear to be located abroad. Using overseas IP addresses enables Chinese netizens to access sites such as Facebook, Twitter and numerous Google services which are banned in China, or foreign media such as the New York Times and The Guardian, which are also outlawed.

[Trik'Stari]

And American government thinking to follow:

 

"That's not a bad idea..."

[Pugs501]

And American government thinking to follow:

 

"That's not a bad idea..."

[Trik'Stari]

-snip

Government response: "you must be a criminal, you have no need for privacy unless you have something to hide"

[DeViLzzz]

I love this idea.  I would like it to be where everyone had to use their real name in all places on the internet.

[LancerBG]

its a great idea...to bad we are way to balls deep to every do anything like this. If things were just now starting out knowing what we know now this would be a good thing. 

[Trik'Stari]

its a great idea...to bad we are way to balls deep to every do anything like this. If things were just now starting out knowing what we know now this would be a good thing. 

I love this idea.  I would like it to be where everyone had to use their real name in all places on the internet.

Anonymity is essential to a free and open internet.

[DeViLzzz]

Anonymity is essential to a free and open internet.

Anonymity allows people to be ********.  I think the world could use less ********.

[Trik'Stari]

Anonymity allows people to be ********.

It's called freedom of speech, you have a right to be a ******* all day long.

 

Although not an obligation to do so lol

[Trik'Stari]

Lol Americans would riot it they tried this in America. Land of freedom values its internet anonymity.

 

Especially in a time when American leaders encroach on their own people's freedom and privacy.

Well, considering how shitty our government has been acting lately, do you really blame us for wanting anonymity?

 

Anyone who thinks this is a good idea, has clearly not thought about the ramifications of suddenly having EVERYTHING THEY HAVE EVER DONE OR SAID on the internet, tied directly to their name. You really want a potential employer/government to be able to see all of that?

[SIGSEGV]

That's dumb... And this is coming from someone who uses only 3 different usernames for the whole internet (faissaloo,faissialoo and faissalib)

[LancerBG]

Transparency would eliminate so much crap from the webs.  Just one small part of many though. 

[Snickerzz]

Anonymity allows people to be ********. I think the world could use less ********.

anonymity allows me to watch horsey stuff without getting arrested

[Omon_Ra]

Transparency would eliminate so much crap from the webs.  Just one small part of many though. 

 

The thing with transparency is that it needs to go both ways. If the government can check up on my digital life, I want to be able to check up on the government's digital life. When you have a one-sided 'we know everything about you; but you can never know anything about of us,' that's not transparency.

[xtroria]

It's called freedom of speech, you have a right to be a ******* all day long.

 

Although not an obligation to do so lol

 

You have a right to be **** all day long, but there must be a consequence following it. That's simply what we lack currently in the internet, the consequence for saying things that are not appropriate to be said.

 

Maybe putting your real name in the internet is a bit too much, everyone could know who you are IRL, but at the same time once you get along with someone else the chance being friends IRL is also bigger. The internet would be an extension of real life, instead of a fantasy land where suddenly I've slept with every 13 y.os mother in CoD and BF. 

[SpaceCore]

of course people have something to hide, it's called their identity.

 

"rumors" they mean opinions. because rumors can be debunked with facts. China's population isn't retarded (for lack of a better word) like the US.

the amount of grown men and women here that believe in angels is absurd. I'm sure if there are rumors that paint the state in a negavtive way and is incorrect, they can find a way to communicate the fact to their people.

 

@xtroria

 

 

The internet would be an extension of real life, instead of a fantasy land where suddenly I've slept with every 13 y.os mother in CoD and BF. 

"Sticks and stones may break my bones

But words will never hurt me."

[Omon_Ra]

You have a right to be **** all day long, but there must be a consequence following it. That's simply what we lack currently in the internet, the consequence for saying things that are not appropriate to be said.

 

Maybe putting your real name in the internet is a bit too much, everyone could know who you are IRL, but at the same time once you get along with someone else the chance being friends IRL is also bigger. The internet would be an extension of real life, instead of a fantasy land where suddenly I've slept with every 13 y.os mother in CoD and BF. 

 

The thing with 99% of dickhead activity is that they have no real physical impact on the recipient. The truly messed up 'bullying,' dox'ing, swatting, and so on, would only get worse if everyone had to use their real identities.

 

And I've made plenty of friends IRL from forums, games, etc. even with 'anonymous' identities. IMO, you're doing it wrong if you haven't...

[Mattk50]

I love this idea.  I would like it to be where everyone had to use their real name in all places on the internet.

I think anyone who wants to force everyone else to act a certain way under penalty of violence is a either a shortsighted buffoon or an intentionally malicious authoritarian.

[Yoinkerman]

As much as I don't like it, people are showing more and more they aren't responsible enough for the anonymity. When people start dying from the BS swatting and other garbage, I'll bet we'll see similar things implemented very quickly.

[SpaceCore]

As much as I don't like it, people are showing more and more they aren't responsible enough for the anonymity. 

responsible how?

[DeViLzzz]

I think anyone who wants to force everyone else to act a certain way under penalty of violence is a either a shortsighted buffoon or an intentionally malicious authoritarian.

Well I think anyone who doesn't want transparency with everything that should be are often people with something to hide.

[Guest]

Well I think anyone who doesn't want transparency with everything that should be are often people with something to hide.

I notice you're not registered under your real name here.

What are you hiding?

[Yoinkerman]

responsible how?

The anonymity of the internet isn't a license to be a scum or a criminal. The escalation of higher profile scummery that seems to be happening only speeds up the downfall of freedoms.

[Silent_Xaxal]

Anonymity allows people to be ********.  I think the world could use less ********.

 

Forcing everyone out of anonymity doesn't fix that. Making sure that people are reminded that their freedom of choice does not equate to freedom from responsibility is how you fix that.

[Darkman]

@Slick, I think you stated that you don't always do it. I don't always for certain things either...

 

Pls murica, dont do dis to meh.