Google ’s horrible new policy onusing real figure in Google+effectively mean that the servicing is now a peril to tangible mass . You have to require yourself why a company that pledged to not be evil would do this .
Google has suppose that if you do n’t “ utilise your full first and last name in a single oral communication ” you ’re in usurpation of it ’s term of inspection and repair . If it droop you , you ’ll have four 24-hour interval to change it or it ’ll bring up your seat . You ca n’t use initials ( even that ’s what you go by ) . You ca n’t use a nom de guerre ( even if that ’s what you go by ) . And you ca n’t utilise number or symbols ( even if they are part of your name ) .
https://gizmodo.com/if-you-use-a-fake-name-on-google-your-account-is-abou-5830463
Æ , e.e . cummings , Malcolm X , and T.S. Eliot would all be in intrusion of Google ’s policy . So , too ( by my reading ) would be Mark Twain , George Eliot and double so , R.U. Sirius . I ’m moderately sure nobody whose name you actually know in the band U2 can apply Google+ or , by propagation , Gmail .
It ’s hard to see why Google would embark on such a haywire - headed insurance . The most potential answer is that this is a pure identity play . Forget social networking , the big gold mine of the future tense is on-line identity substantiation . This could be Google prioritise getting onward in that race over its users ’ preferences and safety .
In other Word , it ’s Google putting money and avaritia over humanity . It ’s Google being vicious .
Last week , Danah Boydvery eloquently laid out the case against a real name prerequisite . In short , if you do n’t let people utilize pseudonyms online , you ’re redact citizenry in risk . Real , physical , peril .
Let ’s say you are a gay teenager regard suicide who wants to pass out online without fear of your household come up out . Or peradventure you are a whistleblower who fears requital . Or a someone of religion who could be subject to religious persecution . Or a dissident who fears internment . A beat-up married woman seeking shelter .
Or mayhap you ’re somebody whose literal substantial name violates Google ’s insurance . For example , it does n’t allow any numbers or symbols . So , sorry , Jennifer 8 . Lee . I sleep with you ’re a highly - respected and well - known journalist , but your name has a routine in it so you ’ve fix four sidereal day to change that or you’re able to fuck off back to Facebook .
And I do n’t know what the heck Prince is lead to do about this .
The easy answer , of course , is simply to not use Google+ . And I ’m quite certain some hoi polloi will posit that as a solvent . But there are two reasons that ’s not the solvent .
First , Google is too large and too of import . As goes Google so move the Web . It is one of a handful of company that has tangible index and influence , able of change the position quo all on its own . If this becomes Google ’s universal insurance policy , before long it will be that of the Internet itself .
Second , and this is link up to the first , is that Google+ is a residential district . And we as a bon ton we have a duty to work to make our communities destitute and open . We have a responsibility to deepen what is wrong , rather than to simply say “ move along . ” Imagine , for deterrent example , if instead of run to change polite rights law in the American South , the exemption rider had just offer one - way busbar ticket to Massachusetts . If you do n’t like it in Birmingham , you should just move to Boston .
Google is one of the largest party in the humans , it touches billions of people . regime on a regular basis subpoena datum from it . The things it have a go at it about you matter . A lot .
Of course , Google does make it easy to quit Plus . It does offera data liberation servicethat lets you take everything you ’ve done on Google+ and put it on your hard driving force .
Yet while it ’s admirable that Google is offering ways to liberate data , it also ought to be offering to release its drug user from awe of persecution . Sadly , justly now , it ’s doing just the opponent .
you’re able to keep up with Mat Honan , the author of this post , onTwitter , Facebook , orGoogle+ .
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