Facebook's Real Name Policy: A Danger to Internet Privacy?

[FreakyLocz14]

The whole reason people use screenames is that they can protect their privacy online. Is Facebook unreasonable in requiring people to use their real names? Neither MySpace nor Twitter (the other two major social networking sites) require this.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Um, I know someone called "Eyelid". What's your point?

 

[Melody]

It is a great blow to internet privacy, and the PRIMARY reason why I refuse to ever establish myself on Facebook.

Because I cannot establish an account with a pseudonym without it being under threat of deletion, I simply won't ever be found on Facebook unless they get rid of that absolutely stupid and privacy crushing rule.

 

[Taemin]

I agree on the displaying of a person's full name being a bit much, that's one of the things that I dislike about Facebook. At the same time, that could be countered by the fact that you can just change your name, and put in a nickname / fake name / etc. -shrug-

 

[Yuoaman]

I really don't see the issue in using your real name, you don't have to join their site, and I don't see the point in adding people as 'friends' if you aren't willing to let them know your real name. You can always hide your account so people you haven't added don't see you if you want the privacy.

 

[Zet]

I think it would be great if FaceBook changes it's name rule so you can either just use your first or last name, or a simple nickname.

 

[KanadeTenshi]

Real name?
I've yet to hear someone kicked from that site for using something that isn't first/last name..

It's not like I'd want it anyway.. maybe it's just teenagers but people post so much spam, atheists vs religious people look at their argument and a facebok wall, and facepalm.

Honestly now, if someone does it, then they do know the risks it can hold.. if they don't, well better read it better next time.

 

[Captain Fabio]

Thing is, yes, there are two boxes, one for your 'First name' and 'Second name'. But there is nothing to stop you from putting in nicknames.

I don't even mind having my full name on there, you guys can even know it if you want.

 

[WonderGirl]

Well if you want people to find you then I guess it's better if you write your full name. Then if you don't want to I guess there's really no point in Facebook for you unless you have a nickname for your first name and last name :/

 

[angel_blarg]

Of course it is, I don't know the ins and outs of it all, but I know Facebook can be hacked whether it's just brute force or more subtle means.

I don't really do the whole social network thing, mainly because if I wanna keep in touch with someone, I call them, text them or whatever, not for some privacy reasons, but I have seen people's lives messed up over Facebook.

 

[Legobricks]

Don't want to give them your real name? Then, don't join Facebook! How hard was that.
I don't think it's unreasonable for a social networking site to ask for such details, but I do feel that having the option not to give them should always be there. Most things come with terms and conditions laid into them these days; it's a little depressing being excluded from something because of some minor disagreement, but that's how these things go. One can theoretically make their own social networking site with their own terms if they're that bothered.

 

[Rogue planet]

I have nothing to hide, I don't really care about who knows my name and who doesn't. It's not like they can do anything against me with just a name. I know there are a lot of people with the name Ryan Saunders out there in the big wide world anyway. I don't see how it's a breach of privacy at all, people freely hand out their name in reality all the time because it's just something used to identify a person. Why it's seen as a breach of privacy when it comes to the internet, I will never know.

 

[Sydian]

I'm not seeing a big deal either. Granted, I don't want PC members stalking me and finding me, unless we've agreed to add each other on there, but even still, I want people I actually know in real life to be able to find me. MySpace was annoying with the fact that people would have the most obnoxious names ever like "Scissorhand Scott" or "Diabolical Daniel" or "PoOkiE-BeAr BBY<33!!!~~" You get me. And you would never be able to find people you actually want to talk to on Facebook if they didn't require your actual name. They even state that that's the purpose of the real name requirement, because no one wants to see "MrS. TuERkE LOVES heR HUBBY!!!<3" posting updates all the time.

And for the record, you don't have to put your real name. You could easily type in a pseudonym and that would work for you. My sister doesn't have her real name posted because she wants to avoid my mom finding her. It's not hard to think of something else to have as a name if you really feel that uncomfortable with posting it.

 

[DarkAlucard]

Yeah i don't see the big deal, i'm Darth Edward in Facebook and sometimes i change to my real name so isn't a trouble for me.

 

[Timbjerr]

Of all the stupid things about Facebook, you have to attack the one thing that I don't mind so much. :/

My name is Thomas M. Black, Jr.

Nobody would care to track me down and kill me or anything so why does it matter? Even if they do want to kill me, they'd be hard-pressed to track me down based solely on my name and without my address, phone number, social security number, or credit card number. XD

btw, I deleted my Facebook account several months back, so good luck trying to find me there. :P

 

[RYOUKI]

I feel the same way, that's why my screenname is Dragneel. It's not like it's compulsory, you can change your name in anything you want. So, I guess it's not much of a big deal?

 

[Zeph.]

Call me crazy, but dosen't being social (on, I dunno, a social networking site) usually involve learnig peoples names?

It's just a name. Hundreds of people may have your name. If your paranoid that people will come after you then make your page private.

Nicknames work too.

Besides, arent people you add friends? People that know you anyway?

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Call me crazy, but dosen't being social (on, I dunno, a social networking site) usually involve learnig peoples names?

It's just a name. Hundreds of people may have your name. If your paranoid that people will come after you then make your page private.

Nicknames work too.

Besides, arent people you add friends? People that know you anyway?

Other social networking sites don't display your real name in public if you don't want them to. People frequently have screen names on a MySpace (which is also a social networking site, btw). MySpace uses your real name for searching purposes, but doesn't display it to the public if you don't want it to. Even if you make your Facebook profile private, the public can still see your profile picture and your name.

And all of my nickname attempts get automatically rejected. I guess they're cracking down on nicknames now.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I don't have a problem with using my real name. I know of dozens of people who I used to go to school with that never would have found me on Facebook if I was using a fake name.

Besides, it's not like they do any background check anyhow. If you really don't want to use your real name (despite the fact that your IRL friends most likely know your real name anyway, just use an alias.

 

[JakeyBoy]

What on earth is someone going to do with my name? Especially on Facebook. Generally the people who see my name on there are people who already know it. No different from saying my name on the street.