Google+

[403]

Rather than get involved with this tempest in a teapot, I've decided not to use Google+. The thing that pushed me off the fence was hearing about the account suspension of a friend-of-a-friend whose legal name is Ka Ping. Ping was suspended for not having a "real name" on their account.

I shall reconsider iff Google's policies stop failing the racism smell test.

Comments

[milkymoon]

What the fuck? They suspended someone for the name Ka Ping? I just...no. No, Google Minus, absolutely not. I'm tempted to close the Public Face account, because, ugh, DO NOT WANT.

[scatteredshells]

Why does this not surprise me? I've seen concerns raised in online trans* communities as well about the 'real name' crap.

FaceBook used to pull very similar crap actually. My friend Raven, and that's his legal name that his mother gave him at birth, has had his account pulled in the past.

[403]

I've used the Google Investor Relations contact form to send a cranky letter about how they might want to find whichever person on the G+ team made that brilliant policy decision, and stop them before they do further damage. I'm hoping that it will reach people who care about the company's image as well as its shiny toys (a corporate demographic which may not read tech blogs, and so could be unaware that the policy exists and is pissing people off).

I'm giving them the chance to not be evil, first. If they don't take the opportunity, we should try to get the newspapers to shame them into better behavior.

[davv]

Ka-Ping Yee? I don't know him, but I know of him by his voting work. Still, I'm a bit surprised to see his name here!

[403]

After some checking to verify links in the social chain, it does appear to be the same Ping. Small world!