Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Government's Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper, published on 11 October,  addresses the issue of the anonymity of internet users.

The Internet Safety Strategy recognises that the Internet can facilitate abuse and harassment, and enables individuals to attack people anonymously and those they have never met. As part of the Strategy consultation, we are gathering information on users' experience of online abuse.

We are also consulting on the introduction of a code of practice, as laid out in the Digital Economy Act 2017. The Act requires that the code addresses conduct that involves bullying or insulting an individual online, or other behaviour likely to intimidate or humiliate the individual. Our online survey consultation specifically asks whether the code of practice should include steps to tackle those who use anonymous social media accounts to abuse others.

We will use the information gathered during our consultation to inform future policy development.