Sigh.

[rogueslayer452]

++ snowflake_challenge is hosting a fandom friending meme, which although posted a little while ago is still going on, if you're so inclined to participate.

++ Hearing what's going on with Discord, it's honestly worrying about how online privacy has been gradually dwindling away over the years. From what I remember, anonymity on the Internet has always been celebrated in the past, and online safety was heavily encouraged and promoted especially towards kids. Now, the opposite is happening where if you're not revealing your real name, age, or even your face online then you're automatically suspicious, which is ridiculous and such a bizarre 180 from the online safety etiquette that was drilled into me as a younger teenager (and truthfully it makes me feel horrible for the younger generations who are growing up online like this, not just for the privacy issues but also for not being able to be embarrassing online without it following you around in real life because of it). Of course, corporations pushing for this are doing so for their own agendas which is frustrating in itself, but that makes it even scarier considering all that's happening in the world now. *sigh*

Comments

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

It's the same with phones. I was taught never to give out my phone number except to people I really wanted to talk with frequently, because otherwise people would call and bother us at home. Now people want your phone number at stores, even if you're paying cash; they get confused or angry if you refuse. And what happens? People call and bother you at home wanting money.

[author_by_night]

. Now, the opposite is happening where if you're not revealing your real name, age, or even your face online then you're automatically suspicious, which is ridiculous and such a bizarre 180 from the online safety etiquette

It doesn't even make real SENSE. Keep kids and adults alike safe by not letting us be anonymous?

You know, a while ago I was listening to a podcast that pointed out that a lot of the fear from the 2000s was also about POC, queer kids and other "different" kids Going Online where parents and other authority figures couldn't monitor them. I'm not saying there weren't legitimate concerns and that there weren't actually people who got hurt, there were and I think it's good we didn't give people our real names (some of the people I met... yikes). But the idea that the internet was bad was very much about keeping young people in line by making it seem like everyone online was a predator. Now they've come up with a different method and excuse.

I'm also not saying Discord hasn't had terrible situations. I do think sites like Discord and TikTok should do a better job monitoring. But the way it's being handled reeks of marginalization more than actually making moves to keep kids safe.

I'm just so tired of this shit.

[elizalavelle]

I have a Discord account but so rarely use it. I do not like face scans or ID being used to log into a program online. Especially when we are also hearing that the US is asking those same social media sites to hand over user information when users are critical of ICE or other government policies. Being critical should not be a crime. I'm not travelling to the US right now but I would really not like to find myself disallowed from travel just for saying that I don't think what's happening now is right and that I hope those who are responsible are held accountable for their actions.

Also yes - I don't attach my real name or picture or anything so most of my accounts online and do not want to. I don't want an employer finding me here or on Reddit. I'm careful about what I post so that I don't identify my workplace or anything super identifiable. Internet safety has changed so much and I really think we are going in the wrong direction.