Why Google+ banning users for not using their real names is bs.

Ok so Google+ just banned my account for me not using my real name. First of all, what I am about to say is just MY OPINION so if you don't agree with me please try to be as civilized as possible about this. This is the reason I think it is wrong - There are millions of artists and designers who use aliases and different seudonims because they are best recognized that way. I know that G+ tries to create a comunity without anonimity and I think that is great but they should find a better way to inform the user about this before they bann their account. What I'm saying here is that I don't find it wrong that G+ is not ok with this. What I find wrong is that they bann the user without informing him/her about this before they do it as there may be a very important reason the user uses that name in the first place. 
  
Jeff said in G+ "Predictably, some people are flipping out because Google+ is supposedly trying to enforce real names in the name field on accounts. I think it's a great idea. If you've got screen names and aliases that you're known by and want to use, the profile has a field for that. If you don't want your real name out there, well... you probably shouldn't be signing up for a social network in the first place, ya dope!"  
 
What I say to this is that just because you don't use an alias it doesn't mean others won't find it somewhat usefull or that people won't recognize us best that way...  It's MY profile and I can do whatever I want with that as long as I don't offend people or Google+ in some way. 

I made this thread to know your opinions and to show  you all how pissed I am about this because I cannot use G+ anymore... I was very willing to change "Weird Viking" (My Alias) to my real name - Marcelo Ardon, but G+ wouldn't even let me. I have sent various requests to review my profile but so far it's been 3 days and I haven't got any notice.   
 
I was kinda mad when I took this picture and maybe not the best way to get my profile reviewed but at least it made me laugh later.
 

Because it's supposed to be about social networking with real people, not people who are anonymous behind a username.  Anonymity leads to trolls.

I'm fine with it. I know a girl who is dating a dude who is using his Warcraft character name as his first name, and the realm he's on as his last name... The less of that shit we see, the better. That said, I don't really use Facebook or anymore, and I don't think I'll get into google+ either.

Now, I already think that social networking is crazy and don't use any of this nonsense, so I'm a little biased in this regard...HOWEVER.

The key point here is that it ISN'T your account. It's Google's account and they lease it to your for free. Just like a regular lease, Google isn't allowed to just walk in on you whenever they like and place random restrictions on how you live your life. However, they DO have the right to prevent you from painting the walls of your apartment because it's STILL NOT YOUR APARTMENT. They have built a standardized building for a reason, and if you aren't willing to live under those conditions than you should probably buy your own house. This analogy is dying somewhat.

As for the way that they handle it, I agree that kind of blows. However, it IS a new service so I would be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I mean, you have a legitimate right to be pissed off about this, but they are still working out their stuff over there.

This is such a lame complaint.

I agree with Jeffs view on the matter basically.Social Networks aren't suppose to be like forums and other social outlets, they are supposed to be more personal.

Also it is your profile, but you cannot do whatever you want. Google+, facebook, and even giantbomb has rules with what you can and cannot do with those profiles, if you don't want to agree with those rules then don't use the service. It is a privilege to use these sites, not a right. I hope you get everything sorted out.

@TheMustacheHero said:

Because it's supposed to be about social networking with real people, not people who are anonymous behind a username. Anonymity leads to trolls.

Trolls lead to anger.

Anger leads to hate.

Hate leads to the dark side.

@TheMustacheHero said:

Because it's supposed to be about social networking with real people, not people who are anonymous behind a username. Anonymity leads to trolls.

This.

I can totally understand why they only want people using their real names. It would be one thing if you had no ability to identify yourself as Weird Viking, but they have an alias option. It is a social networking site, after all. There are plenty of other places on the internet where fully operating under a pseudonym makes sense and which, I'm sure, are able to be linked to from your G+ account.

I'm pro-real name, I use my real name everywhere but in online games because seeing "Sean Foster has died" makes me feel weird. But it is stupid Google wouldn't at least give you the opportunity to change it.

Although it is an understandable opinion, Google has the right to do what it wants with its service.  You are also within the right not to use it if you don't agree with it.  Good luck trying to change their line of thought when they were designing the service and banning outright kind of sends a message about what they think about anonymity at any level don't it? 
 
I'll be glad to use a service that consists only of people with real names to see how it turns out, but to each his/her own I guess.

G+ is a site to communicate with people you know, not a site to promote your graphic design. I fucking hate the people I'm friends with on Facebook who post their bad art and try to promote their websites.

Use your real name, put your alias in the alias section. Showing who you really are first can only help your career.

I'm with them on the real name thing, but that's really shitty that they didn't even give you a warning.

I understand your opinions but I am not mad about the fact that they don't allow me to use that name. The thing that gets me mad is that they don't allow me to CHANGE my name and just bann my profile without giving me previous notice. That is what is bull shit about G+ banning users for not using their real names. Read the first post people. 
 
@nintendoeats: That is a good point, this has just started and they may change how they handle this in the future and you are right, this is actually not my account. It just annoys me that people seem so happy for the users that are getting banned just because they don't use their real names.  
 
@HandsomeDead: Maybe you should read the first post and realize what I am complaining for in the first place.  
 
@SSully: I agree on that, I can't do whatever I want but they can at least tell me what I am doing wrong in the first place don't you think?  
 
@TheMustacheHero: Yes that is true and I don't want trolls on my social networks. As I wrote in the first post, I was very willing to change my name but they wouldn't even let me do that. 
 
@Geo7877: Then why are you friends with such people in the first place? "People promoting their bad art"... Man you don't even know my skills so don't imply stuff like that. I can use a social network to promote my work in any way I like and using an alias actually helps me in very big ways.

Google+ is like Facebook isn't it? if that is the case that would make it another social web site thing, and isn't the point of those to be you, real name and all.

@Deusx: I think it would be more fair if they had some kind of automated system that told you to fix your name before they kicked you off, but I think the harsh truth is you are just a speck in the sea of users. It is just easier to kick you off then to try to be nice and talk it out with you. I am sure you would of changed your name, but the majority of people would give google shit if they were asked nicely, making it a longer dragged out process.

They gave you your chance and you fucked up. Too bad.

What if you use your real first name, but a fake last name? I've been stalked in the past (can't imagine why, though) and I refuse to use my real last name/a photograph of myself as my profile image anywhere as a result.

@Deusx: I think you should have had a warning and your name flagged for a name change within a set period of time before being banned. However, ultimately I agree that real names should be used on social networking sites. Hiding behind a veil of anonymity leads to people being irresponsible and immature because they are harder to hold accountable for their actions. Plus, I thought the whole point was to let people know who you (really) are?

In the end it is their site so you have to abide by their rules.

I agree with Jeff, and after reading your OP still don't get what the problem is. If they have a field for you to use your fake name then what's the problem? Put it there?

Real ID - Light Side

Anonymous - Dark Side

They are making a social network, not the gamefaqs forums.

@Deusx: You can do whatever you want, but they have to right to shut you out. You are trying to claim to Google that Weird Viking is an alias that your business is well known for and therefore should be allowed to use it as a profile name. A quick Google search of Weird Viking brings up an strange picture blog and your broken Google+ page, none of your art as far as I can see, claiming that this name signifies you as a graphic designer will be a bit of a stretch in their eyes... That being said, in the end Google+ is a place where real people connect with real people, using an alias or a business name goes against that goal. That's what Facebook, Twitter and forums are for.

That being said, in the end Google+ is a place where real people connect with real people, using an alias or a business name goes against that goal. That's what Facebook, Twitter and forums are for.

I can understand every other complaint I've heard of Google+ but this is retarded.

I don't really think this policy is going to stop trolls. What's going to stop a troll from uploading a picture of some random guy, and calling his/herself Warren Jenkins, thereby creating a believable profile that is locked and loaded for trolling? Unless Google+ has some other security measures I'm unaware of: nothing. Google+ would never know until the profile started trolling. And where do they draw the line with the name thing? I have a friend who has been called Breezy since grade school. Her real name is something far different. Everyone calls her Breezy, and that's what she introduces herself to people as. Would Google+ ban her? Are they going by legal names only? It all seems kind of silly when you get down to it. I mean, it's their policy so they can do whatever they want, I just think it's going to be ineffectual in stopping trolls. I also think it might give some people with some weird names a little trouble. I once knew a guy named California Snowman. Not kidding. He was a totally normal guy whose parents must of been a little nuts. It also sounds like he would be banned by Google+.  The only thing banning people for using "fake" names really does is mold Google+'s image in these early days into a more serious type of social networking, which is probably the biggest reason they are doing it. 

I can see the point made. I can agree with it partially. 
 
However it seems to me that the connections they make are trying to be between friends/family etc. Not business related.  
So in fact we wouldn't have to worry about all the silly crap of companies having their own pages etc. This only bothers me rarely with the likes of facebook considering there are a hell of a lot more things that piss me off about that social networking service.  
 
I welcome it just being tight knit groups of friends/family and not the rest. Seems more community like to me.  
 
You getting banned so quickly seems rather harsh to be honest.. instead of having a warning of sorts. I can see it from both sides. 
 
Lastly that pic made me laugh hard. 

 It's MY profile and I can do whatever I want with that as long as I don't offend people or Google+ in some way.  

Geez man just make a new gmail, get another G+ invite and use your real name this time, no need to get so upset over this.

@HandsomeDead said:

This is such a lame complaint.

My Giantbomb username is actualy my surname but i think everyone would agree that my surname is pretty badass. Why wouldn't i use it?  Real names FTW! I'm also pro real names. I used my real name on my Google +. Perhaps sometime in the future Google will implement a feature like facebook. To give Artist and whoever else accounts dedicated to their field of expertise.

I'm sure they are also more interested in eliminating fake/alias accounts right now because it's still in an 'invite-only' phase. Once it is open for real and the entire world attacks it, I bet things will loosen.

My Giantbomb username is actualy my surname but i think everyone would agree that my surname is pretty badass.  

I totally see the need to use your real name on G+. They're trying to prevent the anonymity of services like twitter, which is a good thing. Twitter works fine, but G+ is something different and it needs tighter controls. I just wish Google would give users more control over their name, and how different circles see it.

For example, I have a lot of Giant Bomb people in my G+ circles. They all know me as MattyFTM. They don't know who the fuck "Matthew McAlpine" is. I should be able to display my name to people in my "internet dudes" circle as MattyFTM, not because I want anonymity, but so they can recognize who the fuck I am. By all means, force me to show my real name to them on my profile page, but let me show my main name as something else to these people. It would make G+ a lot less confusing. I don't know who the hell anyone is on there. I look down my stream and I all I see is "random dude 1" and "random dude 2". If they could display their internet aliases to me as their primary name life would be so much easier.

That's because Vikings did not wear horned helmets.
 
On a serious note, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for informing, but I guess if I would use a name that is believable they wouldn't have a reason to ban my account.

What is real, though?

@Sweep said:

What is real, though?

Mind = Blown.

Makes sense, I for one am annoyed seeing people on Facebook using names like 'First name' <insert random word> 'Surname' .

Because it's supposed to be about social networking with real people, not people who are anonymous behind a username.  Anonymity leads to trolls.

@Deusx said:

What I say to this is that just because you don't use an alias it doesn't mean others won't find it somewhat usefull or that people won't recognize us best that way... It's MY profile and I can do whatever I want with that as long as I don't offend people or Google+ in some way.

Well there's your inherent problem - no it's not. It's Google's site, and they ultimately get to control the content of your profile and can dictate what it can be. I get where you're coming from, but ultimately it's a moot point because you don't have a single claim to why it being their way is wrong (though like others have said, they allow fields for aliases too, so you can put it there if you want; it shouldn't be that much of a surprise that they don't want aliases as primary names so that people aren't just running around as xXSmokeDawg420Xx).

Congrats to Google Plus for making people use their real names and not an alias. Allows people to not hide behind an alias.

Google Plus? Wow that is a horrible name for a social site.

wait a sec, so if you put your girlfriends name in your g+ name you would get banned with no warning? seems stupid to me

I think people should use their real names, as using an alias defeats the purpose of it. As Jeff said, there is a field to provide alternate aliases, so there should be no reason to not use your real name - if aliases show up when searching.

When all is said and done, it's up to Google anyway. They can do whatever they want with their free service.