User blog comment:Semanticdrifter/Updates to COPPA/@comment-4674838-20130625035403

Have you considered modifying Wikia's version of the MediaWiki software so that anonymous users are not identified by their IP address?

For example, for each session, automatically issue a temporal account from a pool anon accounts, like anon12314235 (random numbers). This account would be valid for a period of time not exceeding 24 hours, at which time browser cookies would expire / the session would be forced to terminate.

Given the temporal nature of such an account and the lack of geolocation information, I think that would work out quite well, as COPPAs sticking points seem to be 1) way to re-contact a child at a later date and 2) geolocation information.

A huge engineering effort, to be sure. Not to mention that it would likely make it a tad easier for vandals to be vandals. But those are solvable issues in the long run, I think. Using IP addresses to identify anons is not absolutely necessary, and I would go so far even as to label it a "flaw" in the MediaWiki software.