Virtual Reference situation

We received word through our virtual reference listserv email that EH, the director of Kansas Virtual Reference, is changing the way our names appear on the VR user's screen. Instead of the librarian's first name, the word "operator" will now appear. I won't go into detail as to why EH is doing this. Instead, I'll make this generalized statement: We have discovered through the lifetime of our VR service that there have been some people who have abused the service including verbal assaults on the operator-on-duty, especially when the user believes the librarian does not provide a satisfactory response to a question. As administrator, EH has the power to block the deemed-VR-abusers from chatting. But is it enough in today's society?