People are acutely aware of the relative anonymity and long-reach that being on the Internet gives them. This felt power enables them to act like total jerks to strangers online in ways they would not do in person. IRL, for such behavior they would garner opprobrium---or a punch in the teeth. There is some sense in adding some friction to online interactions. The details of the mechanism are important, but it's not a terrible or absurd proposition on its face.