A physical party to prove you're a real virtual person

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - The ease of creating fake virtual identities plays an important role in shaping the way information - and misinformation - circulates online. Could 'pseudonym' parties, that would verify proof of personhood not proof of identity, resolve this tension' - Social media platforms have completely changed the way information flows online. While these platforms offer many benefits, the anonymity that social media enables, combined with the ease of creating numerous accounts, can also lead to the spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories and the distortion of political discourse. One response is that we should simply jettison anonymity and require that all accounts be linked to a verified identity, but anonymity is an important part of freedom of expression online, making this an undesirable solution. Now, Professor Bryan Ford , from the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) has developed an idea of using in-person events, which he calls "pseudonym parties", to reconcile online anonymity with accountability, a challenge explored in an article by EPFL's International Risk Governance Center (IRGC) , co-authored by its deputy director Aengus Collins . While technological problems tend to require technological approaches, this is instead a relatively analogue idea. These events would be held on a regular basis, say once a month or once a year, and offer a digital token that provides "proof of personhood".