The Importance of Protecting Speech, Including Anonymous Speech, Instead of Banning It

Former South Carolina governor and current Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley wants to use government authority to ban anonymous speech on social media platforms. She told Fox News that “Every person on social media should be verified by their name.” Anonymous speech is a hallowed American tradition that helped to unite colonists against British misrule and has remained alive through the 21st century. It often provides essential protection to whistleblowers and others worried about being fired, excoriated, or physically harmed. The right to give anonymously to a political cause is considered sacred because it helps to prevent harassment. In the mind of Nikki Haley, it is unconscionable for government to out the names and contributions of multimillionaire contributors trying to influence the political process but it’s okay for the same government to force everyday people who post on social media to reveal their identities.