<!-- wp:html --><p>Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast</p>
<p>Since the dawn of the commercial internet, Americans have spoken and accessed information online without providing their names.</p>
<p>Political dissidents freely express their views. <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-scotus-abortion-ruling-is-a-disaster-for-free-expression">Patients search for health information</a> without fearing public embarrassment. <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-are-there-so-many-accused-domestic-abusers-in-trumpworld-you-know-damn-well-why">Domestic violence</a> victims seek help online, shielding their communications from their abusers.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/ron-desantis-and-the-new-campus-free-speech-crisis">State and federal lawmakers</a> threaten to upend that culture of anonymity. And that should worry all Americans.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/social-media-age-requirements-are-anti-free-speech">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p><!-- /wp:html -->
Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast
Since the dawn of the commercial internet, Americans have spoken and accessed information online without providing their names.
Political dissidents freely express their views. Patients search for health information without fearing public embarrassment. Domestic violence victims seek help online, shielding their communications from their abusers.
State and federal lawmakers threaten to upend that culture of anonymity. And that should worry all Americans.
