Ex-police chief's action call over internet trolls
Social media users should not be allowed to post from anonymous accounts, says a former North East police chief.
Dame Vera Baird, the former Northumbria Police and crime Commissioner and now Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, said tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook should not allow people to sign up without providing accurate identifiable information.
She said anonymity is allowing people to abuse others online with little prospect of being identified and prosecuted.
The call comes as England footballer and poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford and former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson were among those to have been abused repeatedly on social media.
Dame Vera said: "I think that getting rid of anonymity is fundamental to being able to enforce the law.
"People sit at home with a funny name and say the most horrible thing, having quite a lot of pleasure because they can't be found. That must be the point of it, mustn't it, to do it without any comeback.
"It's very unpleasant indeed and it's imperative they be brought to justice."
She said there were parallels between hateful abuse online and stalking somebody in their home.
She said people should not be prevented from using a pseudonym, but the user should have to provide identifying details when setting up an account which would mean they can be traced should the need arise.
She said: "Of course you need to be able to identify people who behave like this and the Government really has to get engaged with the platforms and make sure they do make it possible to identify."