Quora Answer: Should Public Speakers Respond to Anonymous Negative Feedback?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “As a public speaker, if you get negative feedback from an anonymous source, should you respond, and if so, how?” 

Any feedback that is anonymous has no credibility, and should be disregarded.  If someone has something of worth to say, they should stand by it, and be identified so that they can be properly and respectfully addressed.  Anonymity in this case is disrespect for the speaker.  This is the same in any aspect, whether it is an online exchange, or an email.  A critic who refuses to be identified is merely a troll.