Irish Examiner view: End anonymous abuse online

Reports of increasing abuse against female politicians have led to calls for verified identities on social media and accountability of users, but it should not have had to come to this

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said that she supports the idea of people having verified identities on social media. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

It seems almost ludicrous at this stage of the game that our politicians have only just seemed to grasp the virulent nettle that makes up the raison d’etre of sometimes smug, but more often sickening, anonymous social media trolls.

Hiding behind the opaque cloak of namelessness and facelessness, cyberbullies and those with an axe to grind, but who will not reveal their identity for fear of either embarrassing exposure or legal peril, should have been shut down a long time ago.