Stroud MP David Drew, says the "cloak of anonymity" should be lifted from the internet.

Writing in today's Citizen newspaper the Labour MP says although the internet has given the world many good things, it has also been abused by people waging personal wars.

Here is his column:

​There is so much to commend the internet for. As a device for giving quick information, a range of sources, and immediacy for debate, it cannot be beaten.

Wikipedia has now become the established means by which you can pick up a biography of those you need to find something out about rapidly.

The fact that this is contributed to on a voluntary basis is all the more impressive.

But there is the rub.  Because so much of the effort invested is voluntary and speed is deemed more important than accuracy you cannot rely on what is written as being fact and if used this can cause problems.

The other issue that has caused me increasing unease is that the net has become a weapon for seeing out feuds and squabbles in the most underhand manner.

Now I have no problem with there being proper debate and the net gives so many good opportunities for this, but too often it has become the conduit for prejudice and personal animus.

That is why I have argued in Parliament that the cloak of anonymity should be removed. I know the poison pen letter has always been with us but, such is the effort this requires, you tend to measure these in handfuls whereas it is so much easier to use the net to heap abuse on others and this can remain permanently on view.

I think this devalues not just politics but the way our society now operates as it encourages the basest of human characteristics rather than the best.

I shall save my remarks on social networking for another occasion suffice to say that this is not altogether good either!

That is why I am so keen to see the net return to its first and primary use as a source of information. That is why I am pleased to see that Tim Berners-Lee, one of the founders of the world-wide web, has been tasked to look at how much more public information can be made available.

Recently I have talked to Ordnance Survey about this and they are keen to put many more maps and mapping devices onto the net. For teachers this is a marvellous resource and, for all of us, a wonderful opportunity to access knowledge to open up new avenues for learning.

Additionally I do continue to worry how young people can be sucked into situations by paedophiles and others. Whilst controls on these people’s activities are now better, all parents need to be on their continuing guard about how such individuals operate.

To be able to find out so much, so easily, is vitally important to the way in which we live but let us make sure we recognise the ethical dimension in how it is used and reduce the threat of evil-doing.