Prime Minister of Spain Proposes ‘Putting an End to Anonymity on Social Media,’ Forcing Platforms to Link User Accounts to European Digital Identity Wallet

(via Twitter)

EXCERPT:

SANCHEZ: “And today, I would like to advance three ideas. Three measures that I will propose to all European leaders in the next formal council meeting that will take place in Brussels. First, I propose putting an end to anonymity on social media. In our countries, no one can walk the streets with a mask on their face, or drive a car without a license plate. No one can send packages without showing an ID, or buy a hunting weapon without giving their name. And yet, we are allowing people to roam freely on social networks without linking their profiles to a real identity. This is paving the way for misinformation, hate speech and cyber harassment. Because it is facilitating the use of bots, and it is allowing people to act without being held accountable for their actions. Such an anomaly cannot continue. In a democracy, citizens have the right to privacy — not to anonymity or impunity. Because with those two, social coexistence would be impossible. That’s why I believe we must push forward the principle of ‘pseudonymity’ as the functioning element of social media, and force all these platforms to Link every user account to an European Digital Identity Wallet.”