Facebook’s ‘real name’ policy raises safety concerns

FACEBOOK’S real name policy, which forces all its users to use their legal names on their profile pages, or risk having their account suspended or deleted, has once again made headlines. 

A number of trans gender individuals’ profiles have been suspended for using their stage names, and Facebook seems set on enforcing it’s regulations, despite the outrage and concern expressed by the public and minority groups. 

The social media giant has claimed that the policy was implemented in order to facilitate a safer environment for its users. “Facebook is a community where people use their real identities. We require everyone to provide their real names, so you always know who you’re connecting with. This helps keep our community safe,” it stated on its help desk. 

The idea is that a legitimate name will hold it’s users accountable for their actions. Anonymity creates the perfect environment for fraud, impersonations, hate speech, stalking, harassment, and cyber bullying. It has also been argued that anonymity produces an environment where children are vulnerable to predators and sex offenders. 

Media have regularly reported on the frightening statistics of instances where cyber bullying has driven teenagers to suicide. In most instances the above mentioned offenders use anonymous profiles or private messages to elicit the malicious deeds, making it difficult to track and punish the guilty parties. 

The irony, however, is that pseudo-names and anonymity can also secure peoples’ safety.

People who have been stalked, abused, and harassed could put their safety at risk, should they share their true identities with the world. People who belong to certain minority groups, such as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans gender (LGBT) community, face similar dangers. In many cases the individuals have not revealed their true identities to their families, friends or colleagues, and use Facebook as a means of anonymously connecting with others who share the same identity. 

Fording individuals from minority groups to use their legal names could set them as a target for harassment and bullying.

Adding to the concern is the fact that Facebook relies on it’s billion users to police their fellow users, suggesting that other users have reported the trans gender individuals whose profiles have been suspended. Could this lead to people targeting individuals from minority groups?

Are you in violation of the ‘real name policy’? 
Your name can’t include:
-Symbols, numbers, unusual capitalization or punctuation
-Characters from multiple languages
-Titles of any kind (professional or religious)
-Words, phrases or nicknames in place of a middle name
-Offensive or suggestive words of any kind

Other things to keep in mind:
-The name you use should be your real name as it would be listed on your credit card, driver’s license or student ID
-Nicknames can be used as a first or middle name if they’re a variation of your real first or last name (like Bob instead of Robert)
-You can also list another name on your account (such as your maiden name, nickname or professional name) by adding an ‘alternate name’ to your profile
-Profiles are for individual use only
-Pretending to be anything or anyone isn’t allowed