Hacker News Reader

Comment by 0xPersona | Hacker News Reader

To clarify, I don't think pseudonymous work is appropriate for all types of work. I'm not a maximalist. Much of my thinking currently is about pseudonymous work in the context that I've noticed it being done, which is largely in cryptocurrency. Of course none of the people in the scenarios you mention should be able to work those jobs.

View on HN

Much of my thinking currently is about pseudonymous work in the context that I've noticed it being done, which is largely in cryptocurrency.

Would you want to hire a pseudonymous cryptocurrency programmer who purposely created a security flaw at his last employer and then exploited his own flaw himself to drain all of his employer’s wallets? How is that any better?

No. Which is why I would ask them to submit a resume, interview them, do reference calls, check their Github, check their social media, etc.

I would hire a pseudonymous programmer. I probably would not hire a pseudonymous programmer with zero history or reputation accrued to their pseudonymous identity.

How do you prevent someone from buying a new identity? In the future you describe, there will surely be a market for an internet profile corresponding to a mid-level programmer. If everything is based on task work, a competent developer could farm multiple identities simultaneously, then use each to pull off a different crime or scam.

If they're sufficiently active on social media, tied into the rest of this, that starts to be their primary identity and it's not really pseudonymous anymore.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com