Troll riposte

Tit for tat is inappropriate in my book regarding offensive trolling but Paul Lewis (Letters, 22 July), in his riposte of my riposte, points an accusing finger at the SNP for online social media vitriolic comment. The vitriol is much more likely universal.

A Scotsman website response, or post, to my letter of 21 July refers to mainstream media columnists being abusively anti-SNP.

There was adequate evidence of this before and after last year’s independence referendum. Tabloid columnist Katie Hopkins has had plenty of scope to demonstrate how rampant is the anti-independent Scotland mainstream media faction, not to mention Kelvin McKenzie on David Dimbleby’s Question Time among others such.

However, James Gilmour’s letter (22 July), does present probably the most effective solution to being bombarded by abusive social media online trolling, which is for anonymity to be unacceptable and for posters and anybody making comments to be required to submit authentic names and addresses, and if necessary for these credentials to be published whether in print or electronically online. I am sure Paul Lewis, like me, will subscribe to this.

Ian Johnstone

Forman Drive

Peterhead