(2011-08-12) Google Plus Real Names Policy

Google Plus has set a RealNames policy.

Initially it seemed excusable as just a rough launch, and they seemed to be listening.

But in the end they dug in.

Aug24: the protests continue:

• Charlie Stross: Unfortunately they have misapprehended the cause of bad online behaviour. They think that pseudonymity is an enabler and that by banishing pseudonyms they can make people behave themselves. So Google Plus has a "true names" policy. This is broken by design.
• Jamie Zawinski: So you think that if YouTube required real names, the comments would be better? And you think that Facebook's real names policy has mandated civility? Well allow me to retort! (With some insider leakage - very interesting.)
• Kevin Marks: Google Plus must stop this Identity Theatre
• Peter Kaminski is stopping his use of all Google products.
• some nymwars folks are using Status Net as an alternative, though it's more of a Twitter replacement than G+ replacement.

Sept2: I'm concerned about how Google Plus will handle InterOp with other Social Networking streams if it's going to be an identity-fundamentalist. (Open Social Networking Model)

Oct20: they says they'll allow pseudonyms, though aren't specific about when.