Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Use any name you want to on Facebook...in Germany...


In Germany, on Facebook, they/Facebook CANNOT dictate how you identify yourself.

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My problems continue with Facebook.  They had suspended my account because they do not like I use my nickname/airname/stagename as my primary identifier.

After, I noticed:

Mark Zuckerberg: "...there is some confusion about what our policy actually is. Real name does not mean your legal name. Your real name is whatever you go by and what your friends call you. If your friends all call you by a nickname and you want to use that name on Facebook, you should be able to do that..."

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102213601037571?comment_id=10102213698751751&reply_comment_id=10102213934943421&total_comments=45&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D

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I received a message:

It looks like your account was suspended by mistake. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. You should now be able to log in. If you have any issues getting back into your account, please let me know.

Myrtle
Community Operations
Facebook

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And...I cannot change the name they have assigned to me.

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Here is a rough translation of the decision in Germany:

The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information for infringement of the German Telemedia Act and the Personal ID Act an injunction against the Facebook...The company is committed to allow the use of pseudonyms...Facebook has to refrain from the unilateral modification of the account to the real name of the user. In addition, the requirement of the presentation of official photo identification documents (identity card or passport) for proof of identity by sending digital copies is not allowed.

Background administrative arrangement is the complaint of a Licensees, which led her Facebook account under a pseudonym. This they wanted to achieve, that their private account is not used on Facebook for business contact through third parties. Facebook had then locked the account and asked the person concerned to provide their real names in the profile. It should also prove their identity by an official photo ID; one submitted by her other identity document handed Facebook is not enough. Against her will, Facebook changed also the profile name from the pseudonym to the real name of the person concerned. This gave Facebook the real name of its user their "friends" known. However, the activation of the account for a major user should take place only when a major user of this change agrees. However, it has preferred to turn to the competent data protection supervisory.

https://www.datenschutz-hamburg.de/news/detail/article/der-hamburgische-datenschutzbeauftragte-profilnamen-bei-facebook-frei-waehlbar.html

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I may (need to) move (back) to Germany...


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