In a no longer quite recent report published by the “Spiegel”, Johannes Caspar, Hamburg’s data security and information freedom commissary, warns against data security problems with IPv6 addresses.
This little discovery of mine (Fundstück) from the internet makes me thoughtful. In the Spiegel interview, Caspar said:
“Up to now, a well-informed and bright user could protect his informational right to self-determination about having anonymous internet access. With the introduction of the IPv6 protocol, there is now the threat that this will become totally impossible. The new internet addresses give a lot more information about the user and he can be identified for life.”
Is it really necessary for us to be anonymous as we make our way through the internet? In my opinion, the anonymity is one of the evils of the internet. Spam is only one of the negative consequences (a harmless one).
After all, in the real world, we also show our faces. When we meet people, the first thing we do is introduce ourselves. When we write an article, we sign it with some abbreviation for our full name. Letters also have a sender. As I see it, said sender should be visible on the envelope. The minimum requirement is definitely that you should at least know where a letter came from as soon as you have opened it.
As I see it, the “anonymous publication of your opinion” is only justified as a sort of self-defence if you live under a rule of injustice. But not in a civil community where justice prevails. In such a country, we should really be able to afford saying even inconvenient things publicly. Instead of having to go “underground”. Because that is exactly what “appearing anonymously” means!
Just like civil courage and “constructive disobedience” can never be anonymous.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
P.S.
Note the choice of words: “protect his informational right to self-determination about having anonymous internet access” …
P.S.1
The only place where you can be anonymous is abroad. But there, you will also be treated as an alien.
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