Whatever happened to:

'Sticks and stones may break my bones

But words will never hurt me'

Decades of evidence of actual pyschological harm from abuse, directly linked to self harm and suicide has made this phrase rather outdated. The internet has made this worse because abusers can target people 24hrs a day rather than just when face to face.

You are clearly a big strong ox who can brush off any insult like water off a ducks back, but I am sure you recognise that people are made differently. 

Yes, we do need more. “Sticks and Stones” was never a very good mantra, let’s be honest. It’s not the internet that’s full of aunts - that’s humanity - but the internet has empowered them in new ways. And at the end of the day we’re only talking about business regulation here. We’re talking about requiring massive corporations to have due regard to people’s welfare while fleecing enormous amounts of money out of them. I’m right behind this.

So you are ok if businesses decide that people can't be anonymous on chat boards?

absolutely

So you are ok with people being tormented online to the point that they top themselves?

I think businesses will be creative in how they deal with this regulation and in some cases they will insist on people proving who they are. Others won't and will police other ways. The wonderful free market will decide which approach works.

although if you mean requiring everyone’s screen name to be their real name, that’s clearly not going to happen

Anonymous sign-up could be ended tho, and that would be a good thing.

This is an area where Britain seems intent on leading the world, and let’s face it, if it gets through then (with the exception of gay marriage) it will be the only worthwhile thing the conservatives have done in a decade in power. 

This is where innovation in the future lies tbh - in regulation. We have invented more than enough stuff that we don’t know how to control. It’s time we had a bit less free enterprise and a bit more critical thought about where it all leads.

It’s disappointing how frequently the free speech gang (of which I am one) forget that free speech does not mean free from consequences. 

'So you are ok with people being tormented online to the point that they top themselves?'

Obviously it is lamentable.

But if, and I grant that it is a big if, the alternative is the end of free speech, then it would be an acceptable price

'This is where innovation in the future lies tbh - in regulation. We have invented more than enough stuff that we don’t know how to control. It’s time we had a bit less free enterprise and a bit more critical thought about where it all leads.'

I agree.  It's crucial to get the balance right. It's complicated, and difficult.

But I certainly prefer the common law principle of 'Everything is allowed unless it is expressly prohibited' over the continental inclination to 'Everything is prohibited unless it is expressly allowed', which bad enough of itself often morphs to 'Everything is prohibited unless it is expressly allowed, in which case it is compulsory'.

None of which has much to do with this actual legislative proposal tho m88

Despite fear of getting Rof reported to ofcom.

What a pile of utter w**k, Elfffi. 

The issue is that face to face you knew who the people were, and penning poison pen letters was a lot of work. 

The simple answer is ID verification for users to remove sock puppets and these platforms being deemed publishers and a naughty step list like insurers have that all social media subscribes to. Make them liable to the same fine as any person convicted of an offence as an accomplice. 

No, that will lead to the UK becoming an oppressive state m62. The slippery slope argument is unbeatable.

I am ad idem with the teaching of His Holiness Pope Francis on this.

"Vatican City (CNS) - Social media are anti-social, anti-human and anti-Christian when they are used to increase differences, fuel suspicion, spread lies and vent prejudice, Pope Francis said in his message for World Communications Day. The Catholic Church and all people of goodwill see great potential in social media when the net and networks bring people together, help them share useful information and educate one another, he said. But, the pope wrote, people's "social web identity is too often based on opposition to the other, the person outside the group: We define ourselves starting with what divides us rather than what unites us, giving rise to suspicion and to the venting of every kind of prejudice - ethnic, sexual, religious and other."

I like the pope, the pope ain’t smokin’ dope on this one.