Tom Grubisich believes that every commenter who wants to use a pseudonym should have to apply for the privilege on every blog she visits. "This would require sites to make decisions on a case-by-case basis," he continues. "How often would such intervention be required? Not enough to require most sites to hire extra staff." Of course not. In my free time, I totally have the resources and energy to verify the backgrounds and personal stories of hundreds of commenters. That makes perfect sense. If by perfect sense, you mean "it's quite possibly the worst idea I've ever heard."
But look: It's time to call a spade a spade. Grubisich thinks the public square has become too open, and he wants to erect some new barriers to entry. That's what the pseudonymity discussions are always about: Privileged members of the media feeling great anxiety that they're no longer set apart simply by access to microphones and looking for ways to keep the barbarians off the stage. But whatever, I'm willing to meet them halfway. I'll start running background checks on my readers if Grubisich and his colleagues consents to some symmetrical constraints: If they write something stupid, inflammatory, or wrong, they will lose their jobs. If what you want is for new entrants to the public sphere to feel more vulnerable when participating, it's only fair that you do the same.
