(fwd) Re: Anonymous posters & Misinformation = Net pollution

[nzook at math.utexas.edu]

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From: billy at svpal.org (Bill Yeakel)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,news.admin.policy
Subject: Re: Anonymous posters & Misinformation = Net pollution
Followup-To: talk.politics.misc,news.admin.policy
Date: 7 Aug 1994 09:42:21 -0700
Organization: Silicon Valley Public Access Link
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McDaniel (mcdaniel at u.washington.edu) wrote:
: The problem:  Anonymous posters supplying pseudo-news reports or
: otherwise wasting bandwidth in groups more concerened with fact
: or atleast genuine concerns (such as political talk groups and
: sci groups.)


: I believe that anonymous posting is a valuable service in many forums.
: However, it seems that service is being abused in political and technical
: newsgroups.

: I suppose yet another solution would be to make widely known the
: general untrustability of anonymous posters in groups where truth and
: fact are paramount.  But this letter should go a tiny ways towards that
: goal.

: Opinions?  

Nice in theory, but....
 
How do know if someone is anonymous? Doesn't the act of checking itself 
show that you have doubts?
What if someone using their real name posts that they have seen a flying 
saucer? Or posts an astrological prediction? If someone believes 
everything they are told, the consequence is their responsibility.
 
Just my $2.00 worth. (I value my opinion 100 times greater than other's)
 Bill