This highlights the importance of anonymity and things like federated spaces on the modern web.
The tendency for people to want to take credit for their work is also at issue here, but the old Internet has a stronger, “I am my username”, emphasis on anonymity and relatively little credit taking for creativity.
I think the focus on personalities, and on single platforms gives companies leverage over as a users and creators of the Internet.I think if we were less concerned about ownership and taking credit, and more concerned about distribution and access, we can make it basically impossible for companies to gain leverage over ideas.
I think also the modern, reactionary view of copyright law is deeply problematic and counter productive. I don’t think the online left quite realizes they can’t can’t have it both ways. Like I get the instinct towards protectionism of small creators, but I think that modern concepts of copyright are fundamentally flawed at both a fundamental legal.level, but also at a conceptual level for what they are ‘pre-supposed’ to protect.
While I’m not particularly against what you’re saying, I think you overlook other issues with the older internet’s culture of not wanting/taking credit.
One only has to look at things like the “cheezeburger” corporation that made millions off of marketing lolcat memes that they had no hand in creating or even much hand in proliferating to see that people not taking credit isn’t a golden solution to prevent misuse and abuse by companies out to make a quick buck.
