Goodbye anonymity for whistleblowers, activists, protesters, journalists and their sources, attorneys and their clients, victims of domestic violence, and everyone else who needs protection from prying eyes. With privacy-destroying legislation signed into law in Florida and other states, no one using the internet and social media can remain anonymous:
No matter that the United States was founded with political discourse that was robust and uninhibited specifically because it was anonymous. No, now the surveillance state, aka politicians and their three-letter henchmen the NSA, CIA, ICE and DEA will be able to monitor and more easily suppress dissent because they will know the identity of anyone who would dare to criticize them or their actions.
Tech industry groups rightly opposed the legislation and said that it would create a requirement for an “internet ID” for everyone regardless of their age.
The result? People will be afraid to speak their minds. And that means democracy and social justice will die.
I jump quickly from one website to another without signing in to anything except email, banking and this blog — and then I immediately sign out as soon as I am finished. The idea that I would have to sign in to most other websites is impractical, scary and soul-crushing. The legislation would destroy the internet as we know it if it spreads to other states.
People are using VPNs to mask their locations and appear to be in states without the authoritarian rules, but legislation is spreading from state to state and there is a proposal for national regulations. Eventually, there may be nothing left except the dangerous dark web for people who need privacy.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. While courts have struck down similar legislation in other states on constitutional grounds, oppressive groups and politicians will keep trying to take away everyone’s rights.
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