Nimcha said:
I find it funny that the internet in recent years suddenly has become something that is supposed to be open to absolutely everyone, in other words public, but on the other hand completely anonymous.
It's just an oxymoron, really.
On the contrary, it makes perfect sense, even if it doesn't seem like it at first. The idea is that it is public, and does not 'belong' to any governing body. So I don't have to answer to any shadowy political power, I don't need to enter six pages of personal information to look at a video, or read someone's opinion on X UNLESS those are the rules the site-owners have regarding their own content, because they are free to do what they want with their own web-space. Just like my opinion on anonymity in the physical world, unless the relevant legal system has valid evidence suggesting I am involved in illegal activities according to their laws, then they have no right to keep tabs on me, or bug my phone, or scroll through my search history, or invade my privacy in any way.
I can see where you are coming from though. As a public forum/conglomerate/whatever, people put their information, words, actions, etc out into a free-space for anyone to do whatever they want with, and so it seems strange to expect anonymity. But that's the point, people are only as known as they want to be. If you announce online that you are a drug dealer living at 32 Fake Street, then YOU are publicly announcing those details of your life. On the other hand, if you visit a hentai site to get your rocks off, then you should be able to expect anonymity insofar as you refrain from blurting your personal details and habits.
Anonymity is not a be-all shield from scrutiny. If you flop your breasts/penis out in public, everyone who sees will know the size of your respective 'bits', and you can't make them forget it, or undo your display, and the same applies on the internet.