Pseudonyms or real names? The results are in

The results are in and the judges have come to a decision. (Correction: that should be judge, singular. There’s only one judge, and it’s me.)

Thirty-eight readers – by my count, but my arithmetic is not to be trusted – responded to my invitation to give their opinions on whether or not comments on this blog should be anonymous. Their responses were thoughtful and constructive, and I thank them all.

There are persuasive arguments both ways, but on balance I’ve decided to retain the status quo – albeit with some slight modifications (see below).

I came to this decision because while I would rather that commenters identified themselves (and if it comes to the crunch, I will favour those who do), I accept that some people have legitimate reasons for not doing so.

I’m particularly persuaded by those who point out that social media can be vindictive  and toxic – far more so than letters to the editor, which I cited as a precedent for requiring names – and that the expression of the type of opinion found in the comments section of this blog may be career-limiting, or at least have unpleasant personal repercussions.

I find this appalling but have to accept that it’s true, and it would be wrong to deny people the right to express themselves for fear of damaging consequences. That would be a win for the other side.

Freedom of expression, after all, is arguably the most important right we have, and if insisting on people naming themselves results in free speech being discouraged, that’s a setback for open debate and the exchange of ideas. 

To put it another way, requiring names might satisfy my purist ideals, but at the expense of engagement in public debate. At a time when freedom of speech is under sustained attack by the woke Left, we need more opportunities to say what we think, not fewer.

And there’s another factor, albeit a more pragmatic one. The comments section is a vital part of this blog and I’m loath to do anything that might stifle it.

Having said that, I intend to introduce a few guidelines (note – guidelines, not rigid rules).

■ Bitchy attacks on other commenters will be firmly discouraged, especially when made from the cover of anonymity. I see these on other blogs and it’s not pretty. One of the great virtues of the comments section on this blog is its civil tone, and I mean to keep it that way.

■ Similarly, people who anonymously snipe at me, as happens occasionally, shouldn’t expect to have their comments published. This is not me being precious. It’s no different from the legal principle that people accused of wrongdoing are entitled to know the identity of their accuser. Besides, it’s an abuse of hospitality to bad-mouth your host. (This doesn’t mean I’m not fair game if I say something stupid or wrong. Just don’t hide behind a pseudonym.)

■ Commenters whose meaning is obscure shouldn’t expect to be cut any slack in future. Fortunately there are not many of them.

■ Similarly, I reserve the right not to publish long, rambling or repetitive comments. I’m the only one on this blog who’s allowed to be boring.