Difference between revisions of "Google+"
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m (moved Google Plus to Google+: oh, okay, let's be technically correct even if it makes for ugly URLs...) |
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==About== | ==About== | ||
| − | [[Google | + | [[Google+]] (pronounced [[alias::Google Plus]] and often written as "G+") is a [[social networking service]] created and operated by [[Google]]. As of July 2011, it is still in beta and invitation-only. |
===Pseudonym Dispute=== | ===Pseudonym Dispute=== | ||
The G+ policy of requiring users to use only the name they are "commonly known by" has been the source of a large number of user complaints for the following reasons: | The G+ policy of requiring users to use only the name they are "commonly known by" has been the source of a large number of user complaints for the following reasons: | ||
* Google's enforcement of this policy has been somewhat arbitrary. | * Google's enforcement of this policy has been somewhat arbitrary. | ||
| − | * Google's enforcement of this policy has not always been consistent with the | + | * Google's enforcement of this policy has not always been consistent with the policy as written. The policy says "commonly known by", but enforcers seem to be interpreting this to mean "legal name"... unless that name sounds too unusual (to their ears) to be a "real" name. |
| − | + | * Towards enforcement of the policy on G+, Google often cut users off from access to all other Google services such as [[Gmail]]. | |
| − | * Towards enforcement of the policy on G+, Google often cut users off from access to other Google services such as [[Gmail]]. | + | * There does not appear to be a formal appeal process after having your account (either G+ or Google in general) disabled. |
* Many users are known better by their online handles than by their legal names. | * Many users are known better by their online handles than by their legal names. | ||
* Many users have valid reasons not to use their legal names in public or semi-public spaces online, ranging from personal protection to aesthetic preference. | * Many users have valid reasons not to use their legal names in public or semi-public spaces online, ranging from personal protection to aesthetic preference. | ||
* It is not clear what the purpose of this policy is, as Google's explanations so far have not correlated with reality. | * It is not clear what the purpose of this policy is, as Google's explanations so far have not correlated with reality. | ||
| + | ** One explanation Google has offered is that they want to make it easier for people to find each other by name. However, in some cases an alias works better for this, e.g. an author known mainly by her pen-name, or a user with a very common legal name who prefers to go by her unusual alias ''because'' it is more recognizable and unique than her legal name. | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
===Reference=== | ===Reference=== | ||
* {{wikipedia}} | * {{wikipedia}} | ||
{{links/smw}} | {{links/smw}} | ||
Revision as of 22:33, 23 July 2011
About
Google+ (pronounced Google Plus and often written as "G+") is a social networking service created and operated by Google. As of July 2011, it is still in beta and invitation-only.
Pseudonym Dispute
The G+ policy of requiring users to use only the name they are "commonly known by" has been the source of a large number of user complaints for the following reasons:
- Google's enforcement of this policy has been somewhat arbitrary.
- Google's enforcement of this policy has not always been consistent with the policy as written. The policy says "commonly known by", but enforcers seem to be interpreting this to mean "legal name"... unless that name sounds too unusual (to their ears) to be a "real" name.
- Towards enforcement of the policy on G+, Google often cut users off from access to all other Google services such as Gmail.
- There does not appear to be a formal appeal process after having your account (either G+ or Google in general) disabled.
- Many users are known better by their online handles than by their legal names.
- Many users have valid reasons not to use their legal names in public or semi-public spaces online, ranging from personal protection to aesthetic preference.
- It is not clear what the purpose of this policy is, as Google's explanations so far have not correlated with reality.
- One explanation Google has offered is that they want to make it easier for people to find each other by name. However, in some cases an alias works better for this, e.g. an author known mainly by her pen-name, or a user with a very common legal name who prefers to go by her unusual alias because it is more recognizable and unique than her legal name.