In his editorial “Entry bans and real-name requirements: When identity becomes a weapon” in K&R 2/2026, Robert Golz, LL.M., examines current developments at the intersection of freedom of expression, the right to privacy and platform regulation.
The starting point is two debates that illustrate just how strongly digital communication is shaped by issues of identity: the US visa restrictions targeting European figures involved in platform regulation, and the real-name requirement on the internet, which is once again under discussion in Germany. The article examines why a statutory real-name requirement is not necessarily the right way to tackle hate speech and incitement online, and why, at the same time, reliable traceability in the event of legal infringements remains crucial for the enforcement of personality rights.