The Great and Powerful Oz Has Spoken
So, two of my friends are fighting with Facebook to get their accounts reinstated because they have been accused of using “fake names,” which they are not.
But I was, until this morning.
One of my friends account has been deactivated permanently, despite the fact that he provided proof of his identity (I am leaving all names out of this because it is public, and there are special circumstances and trolls at work in his case).
Who is really being harmed by these policies and their methods of enforcement?
Here is the letter that Facebook sent to my friend:
Hi,
Your account has been disabled because we have determined that you are not representing yourself authentically on Facebook. Fake accounts are a violation of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. All accounts must abide by the following policies:
• You must provide your real first name and last name.
• Impersonating anyone or anything is prohibited.
• Profiles created to represent celebrities, pets, ideas, or inanimate objects are strictly prohibited.
• Profiles created for the purpose of spamming or harassing others are strictly prohibited.
People on Facebook want to interact with their real friends and the people they know in the real world. Since fake accounts can damage the integrity of this environment, they are not allowed to remain on the site.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to reactivate this account for any reason, nor will we provide further information about your violation or the systems we have in place. This decision is final and cannot be appealed.
There are many reasons that some people do not wish to be forced to provide their real name. I have seen countless cases where something posted on a Facebook page got someone fired from, or not hired for, a job. Others may not wish to be found because they have suffered abuse. Should they not be allowed to enjoy the benefits of Facebook without risking their safety?
I am against fake accounts using the names of real people. That crosses a line, in my opinion. However, hard as it is for Facebook to believe, unless we are talking about Lady Gaga, there is likely more than one real person in this world with the same name as a famous person (including Mark Zuckerberg). Their policy appears to be “suspend first, ask questions later” and “guilty until proven innocent.”
“People on Facebook want to interact with their real friends and the people they know in the real world.”
Really? 'Cause some are there just for the games.
Does Facebook think its users are too stupid to know the difference between a name like “Joe Smith” and “Batman”? I mean, if people just want to interact with their “real friends” and people they know in the real world, I think they ought to know who those friends are and reject other friend requests.
I use Bonnie Half-Elven pretty much everywhere else on the internet, so in a sense, it is a real identity. Since I opened the account with that name right after attending A Long Expected Party in 2008, I easily had over 50 friends with a common interest in very short order. And despite the fake name, I have as friends several locals, family members, and even a former grade school classmate. And as I do not wish to lose those contacts now, I have made the change to conform to their requirements.
Of course, Facebook can make its own rules and enforce them, but that does not mean they are good rules or that they are enforced fairly.
But I was, until this morning.
One of my friends account has been deactivated permanently, despite the fact that he provided proof of his identity (I am leaving all names out of this because it is public, and there are special circumstances and trolls at work in his case).
Who is really being harmed by these policies and their methods of enforcement?
Here is the letter that Facebook sent to my friend:
Hi,
Your account has been disabled because we have determined that you are not representing yourself authentically on Facebook. Fake accounts are a violation of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. All accounts must abide by the following policies:
• You must provide your real first name and last name.
• Impersonating anyone or anything is prohibited.
• Profiles created to represent celebrities, pets, ideas, or inanimate objects are strictly prohibited.
• Profiles created for the purpose of spamming or harassing others are strictly prohibited.
People on Facebook want to interact with their real friends and the people they know in the real world. Since fake accounts can damage the integrity of this environment, they are not allowed to remain on the site.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to reactivate this account for any reason, nor will we provide further information about your violation or the systems we have in place. This decision is final and cannot be appealed.
There are many reasons that some people do not wish to be forced to provide their real name. I have seen countless cases where something posted on a Facebook page got someone fired from, or not hired for, a job. Others may not wish to be found because they have suffered abuse. Should they not be allowed to enjoy the benefits of Facebook without risking their safety?
I am against fake accounts using the names of real people. That crosses a line, in my opinion. However, hard as it is for Facebook to believe, unless we are talking about Lady Gaga, there is likely more than one real person in this world with the same name as a famous person (including Mark Zuckerberg). Their policy appears to be “suspend first, ask questions later” and “guilty until proven innocent.”
“People on Facebook want to interact with their real friends and the people they know in the real world.”
Really? 'Cause some are there just for the games.
Does Facebook think its users are too stupid to know the difference between a name like “Joe Smith” and “Batman”? I mean, if people just want to interact with their “real friends” and people they know in the real world, I think they ought to know who those friends are and reject other friend requests.
I use Bonnie Half-Elven pretty much everywhere else on the internet, so in a sense, it is a real identity. Since I opened the account with that name right after attending A Long Expected Party in 2008, I easily had over 50 friends with a common interest in very short order. And despite the fake name, I have as friends several locals, family members, and even a former grade school classmate. And as I do not wish to lose those contacts now, I have made the change to conform to their requirements.
Of course, Facebook can make its own rules and enforce them, but that does not mean they are good rules or that they are enforced fairly.