They do this and all of sudden message boards will have “post as anonymous” option.
Unfortunately, anonymous posting would give an open door to automated spambots. Forums would be filled with Viagra and “enlargement” ads and things much worse.
Any way to obscure a public post with “Name Withheld” or some other descriptor, but leaves a record in the server would only invite supoenas of the identity of the poster. If the record of the true poster was deleted from the server after the post, then a lawsuit could allege that data was being deleted on purpose and the owners liable.
Groan!
Could they force a blog/whatever to turn over IP info about their members? Big Brother is watching!