Anonymity on the Internet has costs as well as important benefits. One cost we’ve seen here on The Brothers Brick is a commenter’s ability to hide behind complete anonymity when stating an opinion or giving feedback they think may be unpopular or controversial. Another cost is that commenters can switch between multiple identities or even “spoof” the identify of someone else.

To help resolve these and related issues, I’m announcing that you will now need to be registered to leave a comment on The Brothers Brick. We’ve updated our Privacy Policy to reflect the new ways in which we use information you share with us. That said, you still only need a name and e-mail address to register — just like leaving a comment today.

Starting with our new Terms of Service, this is part of a series of changes we’ll be making to improve the interactive experience here on The Brothers Brick — both for readers and contributors. For more information and discussion about the Terms of Service, read the announcement post.

If you feel uncomfortable registering and leaving a comment about this change, please use the Contact Us page to send us a private e-mail.