Google Wants You to Use Your Real Name on YouTube

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Google Wants You to Use Your Real Name on YouTube

Posted by samzenpus on Monday July 23, 2012 @04:30AM from the what's-your-handle dept.

Google has launched a pop-up dialogue box on YouTube that urges you to use your real name when trying to make a comment. From the article: "When you try to comment on a YouTube video, a box will pop up that displays your username as it’s currently seen, along with a side-by-side comparison to what it will look like if you let YouTube pull your name from Google+. You can choose 'I don’t want to use my real name,' but that will lead to another dialogue box that basically guilts you into agreeing. If you still insist on remaining anonymous, you have to tell Google why: 'My channel is for a show or character' or 'My channel name is well-known for other reasons' are two options. 'I want to remain anonymous, is–unsurprisingly–not one."

24 of 602 comments (clear)

Just like a slashdot poll by danbert8 · 2012-07-23 04:31 · Score: 5, Funny

Somebody always bitches about the lack of options. Maybe Google should have included a "My name is Cowboy Neal" option?

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Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
1. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-23 04:51 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  There would never be any repercussions to begin with.
  But there are valid reasons to remain anonymous, including avoiding getting fired/not hired by insane employers or staying out of sight of insane people. No need to stifle people's speech, either. The Internet is great because there is so much anonymity. Otherwise, more people would be afraid to speak their mind. Much less interesting.
2. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by causality · 2012-07-23 04:59 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  So between our two viewpoints, it comes down essentially to what your motivation is in posting. Any way you look at it, the only reason to wish to post anonymously is to avoid some form of repercussion (whether identity theft, stalking/harassment, or simply being outed as a douchetard.)
  Whatever happened to the concept of "it's just not your business?" It's the idea of "if I wanted you to know or thought you were entitled to this information, I would provide it willingly without being prompted for it." Is that disappearing along with the idea of focusing on what is being said rather than making everything into a petty personal matter focused on who is saying it?
  
  I mean sure, Google can do what they like with their properties. That doesn't make it a worthy or noble idea, though.
  
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  It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
3. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by JesseMcDonald · 2012-07-23 05:25 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Any way you look at it, the only reason to wish to post anonymously is to avoid some form of repercussion...
  Or perhaps you just believe anonymity improves the quality of the discussion—since you don't know who anyone is, there is less basis for personal attacks and more pressure to debate the substance of an argument, rather than the person who made it. The fact that you can participate in discussions without revealing your ethnicity or gender has always been one of the online community's strengths; forcing people to reveal their real names undermines that implied equality.
  A "real name" policy also tends to favor those with popular names (John Smith), who remain effectively anonymous, at the expense of those whose names are relatively unique.
  
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  "The state is that great fiction by which everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else." - Bastiat
4. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by Tom · 2012-07-23 05:48 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I have plenty to hide
  Of course you do. One of my more common answers to "if you've got nothing to hide..." is: "So you're ok with me installing a camera in your bedroom?"
  
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  Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
5. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by hoggoth · 2012-07-23 05:53 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  > "I want to troll with no repercussion."
  Bullshit. I like things that are irreverently funny. I like things that are sexy. I don't believe in a magic old man with a white beard watching over us and getting pissed if I wack off. The majority of my extended family would have a problem with all of these.
  
  --
  - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
6. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by Moses48 · 2012-07-23 06:00 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I think the problem here is that everyone is a dissident in some circles. So while I hold opinion A and like to promote it, my (family/boss/co-worker/government) don't know that opinion and will keep treating me normal. If I start publicly promoting opinion A then I would be disowned/fired/disasociated/killed.
  So we are all dissidents in that respect when we want to remain anonymous. Early supporters of rights for minorities and females would fall into this category. If you try and define what is legitimate to disagree with anonymously and what isn't, then you have already ruled out dissidents from opposing you without being subject to your prejudice/judgement/punishment.
7. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by StripedCow · 2012-07-23 06:13 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Also, the internet never forgets. So a teenager who makes some stupid comments may regret this for the rest of his life.
  Me now != me in five or ten years.
  
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  If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
8. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by jvkjvk · 2012-07-23 07:25 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I have no idea where you get avoiding repercussions is a bad thing.
  That is simply a stupid argument.
  OF COURSE I want to be anonymous to avoid repercussions.
  I find it obvious that one needs to avoid repercussions when discussing controversial and/or political topics with a worldwide audience.
  I find it obvious that both governments, corporations, groups, and individuals might decide to act in a way I would find objectionable, based on comments I have/will make.
  Please let me know what you find wrong with that.
9. Re:Just like a slashdot poll by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-23 09:15 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  It is a common reaction, but it's wrong -- it validates the assumption in the question, that there is something to hide.
  This. is. false.
  The question is not whether or not I have something to hide. The question is with whom I choose to share what.
  Hence, my reaction usually is along the lines of "If I have something I desire to share with you, I'll let you know."
  PS: delicious to post this as AC...
The names Coward... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-23 04:33 · Score: 5, Funny

Anonymous Coward
Good move on Google's part... by MitchDev · 2012-07-23 04:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

Take one of the biggest, most popular sites in the world and start driving people away from it.
1. Re:Good move on Google's part... by Hatta · 2012-07-23 05:52 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  ACs do from time to time post insightful comments. /. would be poorer for the lack of them.
  
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Benefits to not having a Google+ account growing by SuperKendall · 2012-07-23 04:36 · Score: 5, Interesting

So if you don't have a Google+ account, would it bring up any warning?
At first I didn't join Google+ because Google literally would not let me - I had a paid Google Apps account and giving them money meant you were dirt as far as they were concerned, they wouldn't let you join Google+ for months (I guess they figured they were already collecting the personal information they wanted from you through your account so strip mining your Google+ data was irrelevant).
After paid accounts could join, I thought - why should I if they didn't want me at the start?
Turns out to have been a great choice, getting better by the day.
Really makes you think twice about having a Google account for anything, although there's really no great replacement for some of the services they offer...

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"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Why Google Why by magsk · 2012-07-23 04:39 · Score: 5, Interesting

I have historically been a believer in google, and thought they where one of the few companies who put principles like free information etc ahead of profit (my naivety). But moves like this are further cementing my belief that something is rotten at google, and it started to get real bad once Page became CEO. The one good thing about this is that it opens up the doors for competitors to take business from google imho, creating competition.
Re:I tried this this morning... by c · 2012-07-23 04:48 · Score: 5, Funny

> On the other hand, when Google does mine, they'd probably wonder why I watch
> so much Dora the Explorer on my business account. (It's tied to my business cell
> phone, which I use most often to keep my daughter entertained.)
Yes, we were kind of wondering about it. Thanks for clearing that up. It's been added to your file.
The Google, Inc. Team

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Log in or piss off.
Re:Privacy Concerns Aside by Anonymous Coward · 2012-07-23 04:56 · Score: 5, Funny

First they came for my LOLCats, but I did not LOL...
Re:Privacy Concerns Aside by causality · 2012-07-23 05:02 · Score: 5, Insightful

Obligatory:
http://xkcd.com/481/
The comments on YouTube videos are a plague of idiocy, racism, hate-mongering, astro-turfing...
Something has to be done, no?
What should be done is so easy, so simple, that its value is often overlooked.

What do do? Expect adult people to be able to handle speech they dislike. That means overlooking it, ignoring it, countering it with speech they consider better, or simply not viewing whatever it is they have a problem with.

I'm telling you, emphasizing that would make for a better world.

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It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
Re:It could be worse... by ichimunki · 2012-07-23 05:05 · Score: 5, Insightful

You must be new here. Slashdot links should *all* be considered NSFW until proven otherwise.

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I do not have a signature
Re:Big Content Requirement? by Tridus · 2012-07-23 05:06 · Score: 5, Insightful

No, it's more likely a reaction to the pathetically low quality of Youtube comments.
Similar to how Rotten Tomatoes disabled commenting on Dark Knight Rises reviews entirely when the trolling shit to everything else ratio got so skewed that they couldn't ignore it anymore.
Too many people online think that "anonymous" = "license to be a complete fuckwad".

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-- "So they told me that using the download page to download something was not something they anticipated." - Bill Gates
Comment removed by account_deleted · 2012-07-23 05:21 · Score: 5, Insightful

Comment removed based on user account deletion
Re:Privacy Concerns Aside by cpu6502 · 2012-07-23 05:22 · Score: 5, Insightful

The part the summary left out: If you refuse to use your real name, then you can no longer reply to youtube comments. The option is disabled. AND the reason I don't want my realname is because I know how google & the internet operates. I can still find posts under my real name from 1988! The last thing I want is my youtube comments hanging around for 60 years for anybody (especially a future employer) to find and develop a profile about me. Or dig-up potentially embarrassing comments that I later regret saying (when I'm older/wiser).
I haven't used my realname online since 2002, because I don't want to have an online history that employers, governments, et cetera can use to develop a personality profile.

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My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
Re:Benefits to not having a Google+ account growin by modecx · 2012-07-23 05:22 · Score: 5, Interesting

As of today I found if you have a google+ account and opt to not use your real name in lieu of a username, you can't post replies to comments, even to your own videos. They didn't warn this would happen when you denied to use your real name, and it was immensely frustrating to not have a working reply button, and more so to not know why. Well, there it is.
While I have no habit of spewing vitriol, and write every comment as though I am accountable, I also have no want or desire to make it easy for any number of stalkers to come straight to my own front door; and without compromising their anonymity! Even if I were comfortable with putting my real name out there and associating it with my YouTube content, there's such a small handful of people in the world with my name that it's effectively unique. Talk about opening yourself up to ambush.
What did I do, you might ask? I deleted my G+ identity, and nothing of value was lost. I can now keep in touch with my subscribers. If they keep this up, I will have to abandon their services, and I won't feel the least bit of remorse.

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Constitutional rights may be respected, repealed, or modified; but they must never be ignored.
Re:It could be worse... by sarysa · 2012-07-23 05:35 · Score: 5, Interesting

I know you're joking, but I'm actually going to defend 4chan here. Yeah it's anonymous, and there's lots of things going on there that'd make a soldier who has done two tours in Iraq blush, but their culture of anonymity is surprisingly more mature than YouTube's. Everyone knows what's going on and why they're there, and that mutual understanding makes it somewhat civilized.

YouTube, on the other hand, is full of generally "normal" people with little to no internet savvy who spew bile from the heart. They're generally not trolling for shock value, they have hearts full of hate.

I'm starting to see why various powers rose up throughout history under the banner of controlling the populace. It never works, but I can see why...

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Charisma is the measure of someone's ability to lie with a straight face.