

Ethiopian LGBT Activist Banned by Facebook Under Real Name Policy - jdp23
http://time.com/money/3954390/ethiopian-lgbt-activist-banned-facebook-real-name/

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titanomachy
Isn't this the point of "Pages" on Facebook? Create a "HappyAddis" page in
addition to your personal account. Post any controversial statements in the
guise of this page instead of personally. Problem solved.

Whether or not you agree with the real name policy, it's the company's policy
and they are entitled to enforce it. If you don't like Facebook's terms then
don't use it.

Banning people for using their native or traditional names or whatever is a
separate issue; "HappyAddis" does not fall into that category.

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killerpopiller
"Facebook with its "real name" policy makes itself the arbiter of other
people's selves.

Under pressure from cross-dressers, Facebook said it would relax the "real
name" policy and allow people to use aliases, but only if they are generally
known by those aliases.

However, reportedly Facebook has not really changed the policy.

Even if Facebook makes this change, it will be unacceptable because companies
and the state will be able to connect the account with your real identity. In
order for the site not to mistreat people, it must let you have one account to
show your boss and your parents, another for your friends, and others for
various kinds of political activism"

[https://stallman.org/facebook.html#realname](https://stallman.org/facebook.html#realname)

Also, real names allows US gov and other non-democratic regimes to identify
people and their personal networks and go after them.

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titanomachy
If you need to say something in the public domain that can't be traced back to
your own identity, don't say it on Facebook.

The entire point of Facebook is that there is an easily identified one-to-one
correspondence between your Facebook contacts and people in the real world. If
people are allowed to become effectively anonymous then it fundamentally
changes this experience.

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A_COMPUTER
Facebook is not an appropriate or safe medium for conducting your secret life,
if your secret life could get you or your family jailed/killed.

~~~
norea-armozel
And yet it's one of the few ways to get the word out for matters like LGBT
rights.

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xiaoma
Facebook also thought my name was fake. I went back and forth with support and
eventually got someone to ping them internally after which I was able to
submit pictures of 2 IDs and get my name on my profile.

~~~
MichaelCrawford
Now facebook knows your home address and both your ID numbers.

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MichaelCrawford
I have a good friend by the name of Stanford. Facebook did not believe him.

