Ask HN: Allowing anonymous posting on HN ?

1 pointdusted3 comments

HN is littered with burner accounts, people having difficult, sometimes important stuff to say, who can't risk association.

Wouldn't it be healthier for the database, and indeed, our sanity, if there was a checkbox next to the submit button, allowing registered users to make the post anonymous ?

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From my experience: If Slashdot is any indication, the effort required to create a burner account is enough to create a healthier environment/discourage the most thoughtless or lazy commentary and trolling. When they briefly disabled AC postings there was an overnight shift in culture and attitude. Having a ten second barrier to anonymity is different than a one second barrier.

Opt out anonymity > opt in anonymity imo.

Personally, I don't care too much, I've never had anything important enough to say. However, it could be made so that the state of the checkbox is saved

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