Difference between revisions of "Google+/policy/naming"
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[[File:Don't Be Evil.jpg|right|300px]] | [[File:Don't Be Evil.jpg|right|300px]] | ||
==About== | ==About== | ||
| − | [[Google+]] | + | For the first three years of its existence, [[Google+]] had a somewhat strict (though not very well defined) policy regarding what names they allow users to use within the service. The Google+ help pages [https://web.archive.org/web/20121201115615/http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/policy/content.html stated], among other things, that your username should be "the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you", which they refer to as your [[Google/common name|common name]]. As an example, they suggest that someone named "Charles Jones, Jr." could use "Chuck Jones" or "Junior Jones" as acceptable alternatives. |
| − | + | There were several problems with this policy, including: | |
* The policy does not make it clear whether a "common name" can be a pseudonym having nothing to do with your legal name | * The policy does not make it clear whether a "common name" can be a pseudonym having nothing to do with your legal name | ||
* Enforcers of the policy were erratic in who they chose to suspend, often suspending people who were in fact using their legal names (or variants thereof) | * Enforcers of the policy were erratic in who they chose to suspend, often suspending people who were in fact using their legal names (or variants thereof) | ||
* There are many individuals whose lives or welfare would be endangered if they were to post under their legal name. | * There are many individuals whose lives or welfare would be endangered if they were to post under their legal name. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Many users were driven off during this time either because these policies affected them negatively or because they saw the negative effect the policies were having on other users. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The policy was loosened repeatedly and finally repealed altogether in 2014. | ||
===Pages=== | ===Pages=== | ||
* [[/dispute]]: arguments for and against | * [[/dispute]]: arguments for and against | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
===Reference=== | ===Reference=== | ||
| + | * '''Google pages''': | ||
| + | ** [http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/policy/content.html Google+ Policies & Principles] | ||
| + | ** [http://www.google.com/support/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1228271 Create your Google+ profile name] | ||
* [https://spreadsheets0.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0Aotk6h1M_3njdGRibnRCbnNVTWhZWWRVYnBIMjVNcEE&single=true&gid=1&output=html&ndplr=1 Google+ Pseudonymity Debate Coverage : Articles] (online spreadsheet) | * [https://spreadsheets0.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0Aotk6h1M_3njdGRibnRCbnNVTWhZWWRVYnBIMjVNcEE&single=true&gid=1&output=html&ndplr=1 Google+ Pseudonymity Debate Coverage : Articles] (online spreadsheet) | ||
* [http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23nymwars #nymwars] on twitter | * [http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23nymwars #nymwars] on twitter | ||
* '''2011-08-04''' [[URL/to file::http://infotrope.net/2011/08/04/google-plus-names-policy-explained/|Google+ names policy, explained]] | * '''2011-08-04''' [[URL/to file::http://infotrope.net/2011/08/04/google-plus-names-policy-explained/|Google+ names policy, explained]] | ||
{{links/smw}} | {{links/smw}} | ||
Latest revision as of 02:30, 20 December 2014
About
For the first three years of its existence, Google+ had a somewhat strict (though not very well defined) policy regarding what names they allow users to use within the service. The Google+ help pages stated, among other things, that your username should be "the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you", which they refer to as your common name. As an example, they suggest that someone named "Charles Jones, Jr." could use "Chuck Jones" or "Junior Jones" as acceptable alternatives.
There were several problems with this policy, including:
- The policy does not make it clear whether a "common name" can be a pseudonym having nothing to do with your legal name
- Enforcers of the policy were erratic in who they chose to suspend, often suspending people who were in fact using their legal names (or variants thereof)
- There are many individuals whose lives or welfare would be endangered if they were to post under their legal name.
Many users were driven off during this time either because these policies affected them negatively or because they saw the negative effect the policies were having on other users.
The policy was loosened repeatedly and finally repealed altogether in 2014.
Pages
- /dispute: arguments for and against
Links
Reference
- Google pages:
- Google+ Pseudonymity Debate Coverage : Articles (online spreadsheet)
- #nymwars on twitter
- 2011-08-04 Google+ names policy, explained
News
- 2011/07/11 [L..T] Google Confirms: Non-Real Name Google Profiles Risk Suspension (I.E., Google Still Doesn't Get Social)
- 2011/07/08 [L..T] Anti-pseudonym bingo “People testing the Google+ social network are discussing increasing evidence that, terms of service requirement or not, Google+ wants people to use their legal names much as Facebook does. Skud shares a heads-up from a user banned for using his initials. Then, for example, see discussion around it on Mark Cuban's stream, Skud's stream and Sarah Stokely's blog.” The post includes a bingo card to keep score of anti-nym arguments.