Ethiopian LGBT Activist Banned by Facebook Under Real Name Policy | Hacker News Reader

Ethiopian LGBT Activist Banned by Facebook Under Real Name Policy

time.com

20 pointsjdp239 comments

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.

"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

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

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.

While not strictly required Facebook is persistent in trying to obtain my mobile phone number.

I'm cool with facebook knowing my mail and my real name but there are some people that I don't want to hear from on the phone. Were they to email me I would just mark them as spam.

Also if facebook knows my number then it can follow me whereever I go, or rather, whereever I go while my phone is powered on.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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