Re: Extropians Mailing List --Approval Procedure

From: Brian Atkins (brian@posthuman.com)
Date: Sat Nov 04 2000 - 14:34:19 MST


Samantha Atkins wrote:
>
> Spike Jones wrote:
> >
> > Max More wrote:
> >
> > > I'll keep this short, since Barbara Lamar made sensible points that I would
> > > echo, and Brian Atkins points out...
> >
> > I havent participated in the discussion, but reading over it, I wondered
> > where are all the openness and transparency advocates? I offer my
> > real name (Greg Jones) my address, my phone number, my office
> > number, anything. Why hide? The transparency age is coming, why
> > not welcome it and take advantage of it for the good, instead of trying
> > to fight it? If we get better transparency, we will have fewer repeats of
> > the unfortunate Jamiro incident. Even newspaper make you attach your
> > name to editorials. Sign it, own it!
> >
>
> I've never done it myself but sometimes it might be interesting to
> create one or more pseudo-selves to participate in various internet
> spaces. Total transparency would make that difficult. Also it is
> crucial in more repressive societies to be able to express oneself
> anonymously. While this society (developed countries) increasingly has
> the means to force full transparency it does not show encouraging
> corresponding signs of being less repressive.
>

I think you can make an economic case that privacy should be paid for, or
at least cost something. i.e. you can pay for a an ISP, or you can use a
free ISP that requires you to give up more of your privacy. There are many
other examples. I am talking about this in respect to voluntary actions-
there probably should be some minimum of privacy guaranteed as perhaps a
"human right", but in terms of voluntary decisions you make such as signing
up with an ISP or this mailing list, it makes sense to charge money for
complete privacy. So perhaps ExI could consider making one of the benefits
of paid membership the possibility that they would completely remove all info
on you (besides, say your email address which could be a nym) if you request
it.

-- 
Brian Atkins
Director, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
http://www.singinst.org/



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