At the root of it, Hartgen has a legitimate concern. He believes the anonymity of the Web cheapens the debate by allowing people to hurl insults that he describes, in one of his favorite quips, as "untouched by human brain." Hartgen never was a publisher afraid of a fight, so I think he is genuinely concerned about the coarsening of the dialogue. So am I, and some of my Statesman colleagues are deeply troubled by anonymous commenters. They believe that in the chase for immediate feedback and site hits, we've traded away more than we've received. Again, that's a business decision. Ultimately, I believe the marketplace of free expression will correct any problems. Call me an optimist, but I believe readers will grow to attach more credibility to writers who say who they are and make their points in a civil manner/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Would their posts carry added weight of individuals like Toadman, HMoffsuite, Cabbage Boy, and Sisyphus posted under their real names?

---

---