Addison Rae & Charly Jordan back Idris Elba’s call for social media ID verification

TikTok stars Addison Rae and Charly Jordan are speaking out in support of actor Idris Elba’s comments on social media verification in wake of a viral UK petition on the subject.

In the age of social media, anyone can anonymously create an account and post just about anything they want — a privilege that can lead to negative outcomes, as seen in instances of harassment, bullying, and even impersonation.

This issue came to the forefront of public conversation last week, after netizens flocked to sign a U.K. petition calling for users to provide ID before signing up for any form of social media. This occurred after English football stars received a slew of racial abuse online after the country’s loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 tournament.

While the U.K. government has passed on the petition previously, over 300,000 people have signed it — and it doesn’t look like the topic has fallen out of the public consciousness, just yet.

British A-List actor, rapper, producer and writer Idris Elba posted a heartfelt statement to social media reinforcing the idea, arguing that “social media is like boarding a plane and not having to show I.D.”

• Read More: Dixie D’Amelio explains how TikTok ‘shipping comments’ get in her head

“If cowards are being supported by a veil of privacy and secrecy, then social media is not a safe space,” he wrote. “It is an aeroplane that allows travelers to wear balaclavas. If cowards want to spout racial rhetoric, then say it with your name — not your username.”

It seems that quite a few high-profile influencers are on board with this sentiment, including the likes of Addison Rae and Charly Jordan, who reposted Elba’s statement to their Instagram stories and tagged him.

Both Rae and Jordan have been outspoken in the past regarding harassment and bullying on TikTok; Jordan claimed she received comments encouraging her to harm herself after sharing a video of herself singing in May, while Addison Rae has hit back at “hurtful” body-shaming comments multiple times throughout her career.

While it’s uncertain if world governments will enact an ID system for social media anytime soon, it’s clear that public platforms certainly have a harassment problem — and stars are speaking out in hopes that something will change.