In the interview, Yair Cohen, a social media lawyer, discussed the issue of online abuse after Piers Morgan reported receiving death threats directed at himself and his son. Cohen explained that the line between free speech and criminal behaviour online is the same as offline. Insults or offensive comments may be unpleasant, but when speech turns into hate, racism, homophobia, or direct threats, it becomes unlawful.
Cohen criticised the current system where social media companies act as “the police, judge and jury” in moderating online content. He argued that it should be the government and police, who are accountable to the public and operate under transparent laws, that regulate harmful online behaviour.
When Cristo raised concerns about free speech being restricted, Cohen responded that clear government guidelines could help people understand the difference between acceptable opinion and unlawful abuse, reducing confusion and inconsistency.
Finally, the conversation turned to whether mandatory ID verification on social media could solve the problem. Cohen suggested a middle ground: users could still post under pseudonyms, but if they commit abuse, victims should be able to provide evidence to platforms and quickly uncover the abuser’s identity. He argued that such a system could cut online abuse by up to 90%
