Nymwars

Nymwars is the name given to the conflicts over policies mandating that users of internet service identify using real names. They began in July 2011 when nascent social networking site Google+ began enforcing such a policy by suspending the accounts of users it deemed in breach. Pseudonyms, nicknames, and non-standard real names (for example, mononyms or names that include scripts from multiple languages) have all been suspended. The term was coined from "pseudonym" and appears to have gained prominence as the hashtag "#nymwars" on Twitter.

The resulting discussions has raised many issues regarding naming, cultural sensitivity, public and private identity, and the role of social media in modern discourse. The resulting debate has been covered widely in the press including Wired, The Atlantic, and The New York Times.

Overview of events

Google Plus was launched in late June 2011. At the time of launch, the site's user content and conduct policy stated, "To help fight spam and prevent fake profiles, use the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you." Many users signed up using nicknames, handles, stage names, or other names by which they were commonly known, but which did not necessarily match the name on their government-issued ID.

The first suspensions for name-related reasons occurred in early July 2011, and included Second Life user Opensource Obscure and student Rowan Thunder. On July 22, Google+ began a large-scale suspension of accounts which did not meet its naming standards, including Limor Fried's account which included the name "LadyAda" (by which she is widely known), nerdcore rapper Doctor Popular, and LA Weekly and LA Times columnist A.V. Flox. Account suspensions over the following weeks included those who were using nicknames, handles, and pseudonyms; those whose legal names were unusual, including mononymous users; and some users with straightforward names such as Facebook employee and Mozilla founder Blake Ross, and actor William Shatner.

Awareness of the issue grew rapidly, via Twitter, Google+ itself, and a variety of media outlets. By early August, the Electronic Frontier Foundation had posted "A Case for Pseudonymity" in response to the issue.

Google initially responded on July 25, when Google VP Bradley Horowitz promised improvements to the suspension and enforcement process. On August 17, they implemented a "grace period" before suspension, and on August 19, a "verified account" program for celebrities and high-profile users.

Google Policy

According to Google's official support page,

"Google+ makes connecting with people on the web more like connecting with people in the real world. Because of this, it’s important to use your common name so that the people you want to connect with can find you. Your common name is the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you. For example, if your legal name is Charles Jones Jr. but you normally use Chuck Jones or Junior Jones, any of these would be acceptable"

The policy page lists the criteria by which names will be evaluated on Google+. These include:

1. First and last name must be in a single language

• Not permitted: 蔡玉娴 Archer

1. Initials or honorifics such as Dr. are not permitted

• Not permitted: JDS, Dr. Smith

1. Nicknames or pseudonyms must be put in the "nicknames" section, not included in the name itself.

• Not permitted: John "Jack" Smith

1. Names should be free of unusual characters, numbers, symbols, or obscure punctuation

• Not permitted: J@hn $mith

1. Profiles should represent one individual, not a couple or a group

• Not permitted: Smith Family

1. Profiles cannot be created for non-persons, such as pets or businesses

• Not permitted: Pickles the Cat

1. Impersonating someone is strictly forbidden

Google offers support and assistance to anyone whose profile has been suspended, including an appeal process, and a referral to their Content Policy. If an account is suspended, users will not be able to access Google services that require active profiles, such as Buzz, Reader, and Picasa. They will, however, be able to access other Google services such as Gmail.

Google suggests that their naming policy may not be for everyone, and recommends if a user choses not to comply, to make a copy of their Google+ data before they leave.

Google's stance

A Google support worker has stated:

"Google Profiles is a product that works best in the identified state. This way you can be certain you’re connecting with the right person, and others will have confidence knowing that there is someone real behind the profile they’re checking out. For this reason, Google Profiles requires you to use the name that you commonly go by in daily life."

In August 2011, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted as stating that Google+ was intended as an identity management service more than as a social network, and that the use of real names would be necessary for other planned Google products based on this service. He also asserted that "the Internet will work better if people know that you're a real person rather than a fake person".

Criticism

A number of high-profile commentators have publicly criticised Google's policies, including technologists Jamie Zawinski, Kevin Marks, and Robert Scoble and organisations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Criticisms include: that the policy as stated is insufficient for preventing spam; that it is inconsistently enforced; that it affects a wide range of Google services; that it fails to understand long-standing Internet culture; and that it disadvantages certain groups of people.

The German "Telemediengesetz" federal law makes anonymous access to online services a legal requirement.