Better Than Reality: A Fundamental Internet Principle

Ways to Be Better Than Reality

  • be non-linear: don’t force users to live through a stream of time that they can’t control
  • customize service: computers can do different things for different people
  • be asynchronous: a customized link to check the status of an order allows a customer to resume a “conversation” many hours later without spending any time on reestablishing context
  • support anonymity: if people don’t have to reveal who they are, they may be more willing to do certain things
  • link liberally: links are the foundation of the Web and can make anything into an extension of your own service
  • support search and multiple views: different people have different preferences, and there is no need to be limited to a single way of doing things on the Web
  • be small and cheap: because of the efficiency of computers it is possible to deal in much smaller units than before
  • be free: it costs very little to offer free samples over the Web, so a book publisher could offer a free chapter and a consultant could offer free advice on some frequently asked questions (while charging for the full product or service, of course)
  • ignore geography: support users who access your site from home, the office, the car, while away on business trips or vacations, and from anywhere in the world

Q. and A.: Secret’s Founder on the Problems With Anonymity

I fundamentally believe, both technologically and culturally, that we do not have the tools to manage anonymity online in a way that doesn’t end with people getting hurt.

Identity or not, you’re going to get people who use the product to troll other people. Anonymity allows people to take it one step further, where they believe they have no repercussions.

We wanted to go for it and try to make it work. You can do simple things like moderate words and partner with other security groups, but ultimately, when there is a group of friends, and they have context, you can’t moderate that.

I don’t know how to do it. It’s a really hard problem.