The ability to be anonymous on Twitter is essential for users and an important part of freedom of expression, the EFF believes. The American civil rights movement is concerned that new owner Elon Musk does not fully appreciate the human rights value of pseudonymous speech.
Recently, Musk suggested in a tweet that Twitter would “authenticate” all real people under his leadership. According to the EFF, pseudonymity and anonymity are essential in protecting users who hold opinions, identities or interests that do not align with those in power. “Political dissidents can be in grave danger when those in power discover their true identities,” said Jillian York of the civil rights movement.
In addition, York argues that there is little evidence that forcing people to use their “real” names creates a more civilized environment, while there is ample evidence that introducing such a measure would have catastrophic consequences for most vulnerable users of the Internet. platform has. The EFF states that Musk has recently been critical of anonymous users on the platform and that Twitter should authenticate all real people.
The Tesla owner has also commented on adjusting the verification process that will give accounts a blue check mark to show that they have been verified. “Botnets and trolls have long been a problem for Twitter, but forcing users to show identification to prove they are ‘real’ goes against the company ethic,” York said.
According to the EFF, there are no easy ways to require authentication without adversely affecting some users and free speech. “Any free speech advocate (as Musk sees himself) who wants users to submit IDs to access a platform is likely to be unfamiliar with the importance of pseudonymity and anonymity,” York noted.
End-to-end encryption
The American civil rights movement also wants Twitter to encrypt private messages that users send among themselves end-to-end. Something that is not yet the case. “Encrypting private messages would do a lot to improve user security, and could allay reasonable fears that those who work at Twitter, sit on its board of directors, or own stock can spy on users’ messages,” York continues. . “When users have more control, it matters less who’s in charge, and that’s good for everyone.”
