Saturday, February 14, 2004
FLUSH!
The Internet is one big bathroom wall -- don't we all know that? Since almost the beginning folks have taken advantage of its anonymity to do naughty and annoying things, from spamming to defaming. But the anonymity is more like a two-bit mask than an invisibility cloak. It's not so hard to rip it off.
And sometimes it's kind of delicious when the mask slips.
The New York Times now (really! for the very first time I'm timely, thanks to That's News To Me) reports that a software glitch at Amazon.com's Canadian site temporarily unmasked its book reviewers, some of whom (surprise!) turned out to be authors praising their own books or panning their rivals'.
Yes, ain't it ironic that I'm also hiding behind a mask as I post this. OK, I admit it, I never banged on that damn pot, nor do I have any intention of making pepperoni hearts. Satisfied?
And sometimes it's kind of delicious when the mask slips.
The New York Times now (really! for the very first time I'm timely, thanks to That's News To Me) reports that a software glitch at Amazon.com's Canadian site temporarily unmasked its book reviewers, some of whom (surprise!) turned out to be authors praising their own books or panning their rivals'.
Yes, ain't it ironic that I'm also hiding behind a mask as I post this. OK, I admit it, I never banged on that damn pot, nor do I have any intention of making pepperoni hearts. Satisfied?
