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Facebook Wants You To Snitch On Friends Not Using Their Real Name

Posted by Soulskill on from the anonymous-cowards-welcome-here dept.

Qedward writes "Freedom to go under a pseudonym is, miraculously, one freedom to survive the security lock-down of the previous decade. Now Facebook wants to change this. James Firth shows Facebook is clamping down on pseudonyms, with an interesting screenshot of being asked whether a friend is using their real name."

7 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. Everyone should post as Anonymous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you have comments you should post them as Anonymous... because we can.

  2. Someone please tell Facebook that by Presto+Vivace · · Score: 5, Insightful

    nobody ever won a war with their customers

    1. Re:Someone please tell Facebook that by joelwhitehouse · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Everyone seems to forget that we aren't the customers, we're the product. This is all about increasing the quality of their data for their real customers.

      Exactly. Facebook has admitted that 80 million accounts are fake; now it needs to take steps to reassure customers that the eyeballs they've been selling are real.

    2. Re:Someone please tell Facebook that by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Incidentally, none of Facebook's accounts are fake. They all represent an online identity. Whether those identities maps 1:1 to physical users or not is irrelevant. There are still actual humans using the accounts, viewing ads, contributing to the usefulness of the platform, etc. There is no legitimate reason for Facebook to be concerned about these accounts that do not center around fundamental invasions of personal privacy, such as correlating user behavior outside of Facebook with what they do and say inside of Facebook.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  3. Please help us by mtrachtenberg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please help us understand how people are using Facebook:

    Is this your friend's real name?

    Do you really like this friend?

    Has this friend ever sent you any revealing pictures?

    How much do you think this friend spends on entertainment? clothes? shoes? online services?

    Please estimate the odds that this so-called friend might be a terrorist?

    If you had to describe this friend to Facebook and the DHS, which of the following descriptions would you use: creative? avant-garde? obedient? disruptive?

    Facebook appreciates your answers and respects your privacy. Thank you.

    1. Re:Please help us by Mashiki · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What kind of idiots are on Facebook anyway?

      Well just remember those of us that are 'sane' and don't have an account, are apparently psychopaths now. So fuck'em. I'd rather be a psychopath, then I can get free room and board, along with happy-trip meds.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
  4. Re:Why stop at fake names? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Rule #1 for my kids: never ever use real information. There's a time and place for it, but not on Facebook or other 'social' and gaming website.