Whether Real Names on the Internet are Effective in Reducing Offensive Language: The Impact of Anonymity and Offensive Language on Mental Health

The Online real-name systems are becoming an increasingly popular policy, with the main reason for support being the perceived effectiveness of online real-name systems in reducing offensive language. Upon further exploration, this paper finds certain flaws in this view. The frequency of offensive language between real-name and anonymous accounts in previous studies may have arisen due to problems with the research methodology. Meanwhile, the impact of offensive language on an individual's mental health is not entirely negative. Offensive language should be further categorized in future studies to explore its effects on individual mental health.