It's sad to think that this is necessary. But, unfortunately, it may be.

As a blogger, my blog is plagued by nasty, offensive comments obviously written to insult me or other commenters. Why do people do this? Studies have shown that people who are offensive online are unable to defend themselves when confronted in normal day-to-day life. They take out their frustrations by being offensive to others under cover of anonymity. Take that cover away and they should behave.

Right?

Maybe the South Korean test will tell us.

Maria, Wickenburg, AZ

This is pretty much the most rediculous thing I've heard today. "Cyber bullying"? Let me introduce you to the "Home" button on your browser. It'll take you to a nice, safe place you choose, where you don't have to worry about people using mean words.

RoBotkin, Omaha, Nebraska

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.

Any attempts to restrict freedom of expression is always an attack on the majority by the minority elite in power, however it may appear otherwise.
Sadly, throughout history, the deceived and divided majority have repeatedly accepted such oppression.

harlan Leyside, basildon, essex

How would an abused woman ask for help on a web forum?

Is a rape victim supposed to announce herself to the world?

Rick, Seattle, WA, USA

I hate this idea. Now only do we have to prove who we are in real life through a National ID, we now have to prove who we are online. This is ridiculous, but I see lemmings love it since they have absolutely no idea how CIA and other shadow governments actually collect data about internet activity. The overwhelming majority of internet activity is benign, but for the price of a few bad apples, we are losing out freedom of identity. You people are stupid.

afadsf8af8787, tokyo, japan

Excellent!...... this should apply around all over the world.

Zheta, Caracas, Venezuela

Freedom of speech? Out the window!! Britain's politicians are lining up with America's 'Fairness Doctrine" czars.

Allan, Bellevue, WA USA

We need new laws to control and restrict every human behavior on every medium. Then we must tax all these behaviors. This is the best for all mankind.

John, london, uk

You cannot be bullied online. You choose to be a victim. If you don't accept to be a part of the equation the equation falls apart.

Where are all these eastern Zen masters when you need them?

And to save a few pampered souls everybody has to sacrifice their anonimity.

I loathe humanity.

Frances, london, uK

does this law mean that anyone can find the real identity of any one else on the web?
I think that is very dangerous...
Any man, - potentially a harmful man, can find the details and identity of aany woman he cares to stalk?

Ugh......
Bad move........ dont you think?

J

John, Ascot, UK

I don't understand? Why not just ban those who break the site's rules on etiquette?

jane, London , UK

Dirty secrets will remain dirty secrets, since no one will risk threats or jail. Is this good now?

christina, athens,

Excellent ! is also my reply. There is so much harm going on out there that the strictest of measures should be taken - this would certainly help to curb the ever growing numbers of pedophiles in these chat-rooms. The highways of the web need to be policed and its taking too long to get started.

Ann Johnson, Brussels, Belgium

Great idea, why allow nasties to remain anonymous?

sonny, london,

A great decision.... yet we dont know whether people are providing real information, profiles about themselves or not, as they are personal information concerning their security, secrets,etc, ..plus, who knows where will all these go for? We have no idea for whom, we are giving such information, anyway...

Me, Lanchow, China

This is a bad idea. Korea is not fully democratic. It is bad enough they bloc certain Japanese political sites and now they want to further extend internet censorship by probihbiting people to post mean comments without showing their identity. This is a disaster in Korea where people bully others with their age, money, or social status and now they are going to take that to the internet by removing people;s anonymous identities and making them face the bullying of powerful people with their social staus or money.

Hyuk-Joon, Seoul, South Korea

I think it is an EXCELLENT idea and I wish we could do it in the United States. Someone needs to take a stand and this will be a great step in the right direction.

Angie, Dallas, Texas, United States

It strikes me that this would be good to implement in the UK, perhaps in a different form ,so that it would curb all the nasty crimes that go on online. If the person actually realised that he was identifiable then he will probably think twice.

Sergei, London, UK