Re: [CFRG] please use real names (was: Re: Small subgroup question for draft-irtf-cfrg-hash-to-curve)

[Michael StJohns <[e-mail]>]

On 4/11/2021 11:36 AM, Soatok Dreamseeker wrote:
> Frankly, I was surprised to hear these arguments take place on a
> cryptography forum, where anonymity experts are more plentiful than in
> a random sample of the rest of the Internet.

Hi -

The main thing to remember is that the CFRG is a formal activity of the 
IETF/IAB/IRTF and as such is probably closer to a peer-reviewed content 
organization than anything else.  While I agree that there probably no 
formal rules preventing pseudonyms (I say probably, because I'm not 
actually sure how the IETF's IPR and Note Well rules interact here), I 
would also find it unlikely that the RFC series would publish documents 
authored under a pseudonym.

Keep in mind that's what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.  
I imagine that there would be an uproar if a pseudonymous participant 
proposing a particular cryptographic construct were later found to be a 
member of a government body - or for that matter a sock puppet of 
another participant.

As I said in an earlier message, let's try and avoid culture wars here.  
If you've got a good reason for hiding your identity - I'm good with 
that.  If not, keep your pseudonym, but let us know who you really are 
so the non-l33t (yes, I know, dated) can follow along.  It's just 
professional courtesy.

Later, Mike