[ben0x539]

> The ability to lambast public figures from behind a screen of anonymity seems to bring out the abusive worst in people,

I feel like this point is really overstated. I'm much more worried about people in disadvantaged positions suffering abuse from people who do not even feel the need to be anonymous, because society tolerates their abusive behavior. Comparatively, some anonymous screeching on a message board doesn't seem all that worrying.

[potatolicious]

> "Comparatively, some anonymous screeching on a message board doesn't seem all that worrying."

If only it was limited to "anonymous screeching".

Bear in mind that 4chan invented the term doxxing. We're talking about the anonymous mob inflicting real harm at many levels - from the mildly damaging (review bombs), to the extremely harmful (threats of rape, death, threats against family, home).

All of the above has happened, not just on 4chan, but in many other communities that are anonymous. It happens so much we have a term for it. It happens so much that Reddit had to make a site-wide decree to get rid of it (to varying degrees of success).

It's a level of abuse that only the deranged would engaged in, or a sufficient combination of sociopathy and anonymity.

We're not talking about "John Doe sucks and is a giant asshole!", we're talking about "Hey everyone troll John Doe by calling in bomb threats lolz!".

Symmetric anonymity is great. It guarantees that nothing exceeds the bounds of "anonymous screeching" as you put it. Asymmetric anonymity allows one side to attack a target that has no recourse whatsoever.

[ben0x539]

What I'm saying is that revoking the anonymity of the offenders doesn't seem to do enough to dissuade them.

[wpietri]

I would rather you let the people in the disadvantaged positions judge that for themselves.

I personally don't worry much about anonymous screeching. But then, I'm a white male with 14 years in SF and a long background in tech. I've got sufficient social and financial capital that some anonymous people being dicks to me is unlikely to make much difference.

But that indifference also means I'm unlikely to be a target. Watch any nature channel: predators are careful to select the targets they can most easily hurt. Having talked with people who have been the targets of sufficient internet abuse, I promise: it, as intended, causes real trauma.