Practice 3 • Social Media Identity Verification
Your professor is teaching a class on digital communication.
In your response, you should do the following:
- Express and support your opinion.
- Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
- An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor Alvarado
Online harassment has become a serious problem on many social media platforms, and some argue that anonymous accounts make it easier for users to post harmful comments without consequences. Others believe that requiring real identity verification would violate users' privacy and discourage free expression, especially for people in vulnerable situations. Should social media companies require users to verify their real identities to reduce anonymous harassment online? Why do you think so?
Wei
I think identity verification should be required. When people know their real name is attached to their comments, they are less likely to post cruel or threatening messages. Anonymity often gives people a sense that there are no consequences for their words, and requiring verification would make users more accountable for what they post.
Sofia
I disagree. Many people rely on anonymity to safely discuss sensitive topics, such as mental health struggles or experiences with abuse, without fear of judgment from people they know. Requiring real names could silence vulnerable users rather than harassers, who might simply create fake identities anyway to avoid the requirement.
Nothing is uploaded — this downloads your response as a .txt file to your computer.