Real Names Only: Civilising the Internet or Killing It? Episode 649

This week on the podcast, Niall is joined by financial analyst and commentator Karl Deeter to tackle the heated debate around anonymous social media accounts — should they be banned to curb online abuse, or protected as an important part of free expression?

The conversation was sparked by comments from MEP Billy Kelleher, who argued that cyberbullying thrives on faceless accounts and that requiring identity verification could dramatically reduce harassment, misinformation, and online toxicity. Niall and Karl unpack whether that’s a realistic solution or an oversimplification.

They explore the potential upsides of banning anonymous accounts — greater accountability, fewer trolls, stronger protections against harassment, and possibly safer online spaces — alongside the serious downsides, including privacy concerns, risks to whistleblowers, activists and vulnerable users, and the question of whether anonymity is a legitimate right unless someone is breaking the law.

Is identity verification the answer to cyberbullying, or could it create new problems while failing to solve the old ones? Tune in for a thoughtful, balanced discussion.