HACKER Q&A
📣 dusted

Allowing anonymous posting on HN ?


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 ?


  👤 spcebar Accepted Answer ✓
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.

👤 HenryKissinger
Opt out anonymity > opt in anonymity imo.