Google+ Freezing and Deleting Accounts

Google+ is freezing and deleting Google accounts of users believed to be using pseudonyms.

UPDATE:

Given the overwhelming response to Google+ profile and account suspension, the powers that be at Google have revised their Google Profile name policy. They will now give “users a warning and a chance to correct their name in advance of any suspension.”

They added, “Of course whenever we review a profile, if we determine that the account is violating other policies like spam or abuse we’ll suspend the account immediately.

“At time of this notice, a clear indication of how the user can edit their name to conform to our community standards

“Better expectation setting as to next steps and timeframes for users that are engaged in this process.”

In an effort to stand apart from other social media sites, Google+ is stressing the use of real names in user profiles. While this makes searching for friends and coworkers more effective, the no-negotiation policy the service has for fake profile names is causing some people to lose their Google accounts.

“Google Profiles requires you to use the name that you commonly go by in daily life.” They explain that this way, “you can be certain you’re connecting with the right person.”

Google+ clearly outlines that users are not permitted to use pseudonyms, professional titles, and unusual characters in profile names, but it’s not just funny names being flagged. Google has required that some users prove with various documentation, that they are who they say they are.

Even Captain Kirk got the shaft. William Shatner tweeted on July 18: “My Google+ account was flagged for violating standards. Saying hello to everyone apparently is against the rules maybe I should say goodbye?”

Google+ is slowly gaining steam and trying to find its place within the social networking services and this slip-up could cost them success. These flagged pages are freezing not just Google+, but everything that goes with it.

“To be clear, the stories we’re hearing so far are of people being suddenly frozen out of EVERYTHING,” PC World Reported. “Given who we early adopters are, even a few more days of this unreasonable behavior could abort the whole G+ effort”.

In the coming weeks, Google will be forced to work out the kinks in its system. While the hope of creating a closer online community by using common names seems like a good idea, they need to work on not discriminating against those whose names are uncommon.

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