Online anonymity

[Penny Whistle]

According to https://order-order.com/2026/02/19/labour-peer-hod..., Margaret Hodge is a front-runner for the role of Ofcom chairman. She has apparently expressed the view that on-line anonymity should be banned.

Here on PH, most contributors engage under an alias, which is presumably considered to be anonymous. Should that be allowed to continue ?

In my case I use an alias because I might want to be able to disclose some details which I do not want to be publicly known and associated with me - maybe about finances or a medical situation or a neighbourhood dispute, for example.

Why do others use aliases, and should they be banned ?

[Wheel Turned Out]

An 81 year old being the front runner to become chair of Ofcom strikes me as bloody ridiculous from all angles.

[768]

There are many reasons why anonymity may be desirable online.

Fortunately, Hodge won't be able to prevent it. Totalitarian fkwits and their ban hammers.

[bristolracer]

The government have no understanding of anything to do with computing.
Buying systems for their own departments- always a cluster fk
Policing social media/ age restricted media- clueless
AI - fish out of water gasping for oxygen.

So yes, they will doubtless introduce something that will massively screw up everything for everyone

[swisstoni]

bristolracer said:

The government have no understanding of anything to do with computing.
Buying systems for their own departments- always a cluster fk
Policing social media/ age restricted media- clueless
AI - fish out of water gasping for oxygen.

So yes, they will doubtless introduce something that will massively screw up everything for everyone

There was a time they seemed to be about 20 years behind technology. I remember when MPs just didn't get the internet and online things at all.

That's going back a bit. They are probably 5 years behind now. They will have no clue about AI really and I can imagine Margaret is currently looking up what VPN is and not quite getting it.

[Ridgemont]

Bizarre idea not least because the internet isn t a British lake. Imagine. You have 70 odd million Brits suddenly wearing their actual identify online. I m sure hackers across the world would absolutely enjoy the chance of tracking you down and giving you a hug . Or something.

Edited by Ridgemont on Saturday 21st February 22:06

[g4ry13]

It's getting a bit North Korea / China here.

[768]

swisstoni said:

There was a time they seemed to be about 20 years behind technology. I remember when MPs just didn't get the internet and online things at all.

That's going back a bit. They are probably 5 years behind now. They will have no clue about AI really and I can imagine Margaret is currently looking up what VPN is and not quite getting it.

Encryption has been around an awful lot longer than 5 years and Hodge still doesn't get that.

[JagLover]

g4ry13 said:

It's getting a bit North Korea / China here.

This was always the end goal of the Online Safety Act. Lots of shrieks of "won't somebody please think of the children" to futilely try and disguise it.