[rdm_blackhole]

> In politics, we engage in debates in our society using our real names and without visors. I expect the same from everyone else who critically examines our country and our society.

Whats the problem with this exactly? As a politician who is part of the government then every action by these people should be scrutinised intensely. We should know who they meet, when and what was agreed.

Nobody is forcing these people to become politicians but expecting transparency from people who govern us is the least we should expect from them.

We as citizens, get to criticise the decisions they take but we are not the ones in power so expecting the same transparency is completely unwarranted.

> Merz warned that liberal democracy was at risk and said he had underestimated the extent to which algorithms and artificial intelligence could be used for targeted influence campaigns.

What a bad take. As if governments would not use these same tools to shape opinions.

> He said such tools made it possible to manipulate opinion and to undermine the foundations of a free society.

Friendly newspapers and public funded news channels have been used by various governments to manipulate opinions just as much in the past.

To claim that suddenly anonymous comments on social media will bring the end of democracy as we know it is just pure fear mongering and speculation.

If Mertz feel so inclined to only engage with people who post under their real names, he can just sign up to a social media service that requires this from their users and see what happens.

Europe is really turning into a China light these days with their dreams of client side scanning of messages and the end of privacy on the internet.