Calls to Ban Anonymous Social Media Accounts Are Misguided

Matthew FeeneyDuringa recent interview on Sky News,UK Home Secretary Priti Patel declined to rule out banning anonymous social media accounts. The interview came only days after themurder of Sir David Amess MP, which has prompted calls for a“David’s Law” banning anonymous social media accounts. Such a proposal should concern everyone who values civil liberties. Unpleasant and criminal actors use anonymous social media accounts, but this fact should not blind lawmakers to the value of anonymous speech.Calls for an end to anonymous social media accounts arenotnew. Earlier this year, someBritish commentators expressed support for an end to anonymous social media accounts, motivated by the deluge of online racist abuse directed at black England soccer players after England ’s loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Polling from YouGov reveals that78 percent of people in the UK support mandatory identity disclosure as a precondition of creating a social media account. Of that 78 percent, 37 percent believe that social media users should have to reveal their identities in their profile.While such a requirement may sound appealing to many at first glance it would result in a significant reduction in the spread of valuable speech and put the privacy of millions of social media users at risk.Amid well ‐​publicised online abuse directed at lawmakers, racial minorities, and others it is tempting to view anonymity as the refuge of bigots, criminals...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs