Comments on: Facebook, identity, privacy, and portability

In the Web 2.0 world, we're seeing more and more of our data going into the hands of a third-party as well.

[john55440]

No Pseudonym = Won't Join

I won't join any "social network" that doesn't allow the use of a pseudonym - period.

[Stefaninafla]

Same here...

I avoid posting my real name like the plague. Of course, these days I respond to my pseudonym just as quickly as my real name.

[elektroboi]

You can use a pseduonymn on Facebook

Just sign up for your account using your pseudonym in the name field. Facebook doesn't check. They only check your name if you ask for a name change--and even then they won't do anything unless you give your full name (not just initials). Seems they'd rather have you running around the site as Dragon 8234 than J. D. :\

[markforstneger]

If you don't like it, don't use it

Bizarre column that seeks to equate a private corporation's rules with government censorship.

[ghaff]

Not my intent

That wasn't my intent. Individual social networks can adopt whatever identity policies that they want within reason. And, as I say in the post, for my purposes I consider the requirement for real identities on Facebook a feature rather than a bug. In any case, I wasn't trying to make a case for a "right" identity policy but to discuss just how complicated the whole question of identity can get.

[anon8mizer]

They want your real identity for advertising

C'mon folks. They want to have your real demographics information so they can get higher fees from advertisers. The facebook advertising platform now allows the advertiser to target very specific demographics, such as "target my ad only to single males, graduate degreed, who went to school in California, who now live in Portland, age between 25-35, blah blah"

So, by joining facebook, and supplying them with real information about yourself, you are just asking for targeted advertising.

[Renegade Knight]

FaceBook is a Tool

My friends need to know my real identity. My fans (if any) only need to know my Stage Name, and everone else doesn't need to know jack. That includes FaceBook.

It's also not for anyone else to decide if I do need to invoke privacy for a critical minority opinion. I've had death threats over a simple letter to the editor. I've had other threats over lesser things. You can never tell when something like that's going to happen. Thus it's for me to invoke a screen name on the internet and use it at all times. It lets me keep some distance between "Me" and my Anti Fans who can crop up at any time over seemingly nothing.