alt Hacker NewsThis feels like an existential threat to HN, and to the general concept of anonymous online discourse. Trust in the platform is foundational, and without it the whole thing falls down.
Requiring proof of identity is the only solution I can think of, despite how unappealing it is. And even then, you'll still have people handing their account over to an LLM.
I really struggle to imagine a way around it. It could be that the future is just smaller, closed groups of people you know or know indirectly.
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Removing anonymity is not a solution, just a different problem.
I don't feel like using HN anymore, I hope the just add invites, last time I said this someone replied it's just the same as some other site then, but it's not... hn is hn...this situation is really bumming me out.
I don't think that's true at all.
One of the things HN does is not let you interact in certain ways until you've earned sufficient karma. This is a basic proof-of-work. If your bot can't average a positive karma, then it'll never get certain privileges.
Not to say the system is perfectly tuned for bots, because it's not. The point is that proof of identity is not the only option.
invitation tree. lobste.rs already has it, works great.
> Requiring proof of identity is the only solution I can think of, despite how unappealing it is
Same. I agree that it is unappealing but it can be done in a way that respects anonymity.
I built this and talk about it here: https://blog.picheta.me/post/the-future-of-social-media-is-h...
I think we’re on the precipice of this being a requirement to have any faith you’re talking to another human. As a side effect it also helps avoid state actors from influencing others.