Sunday, November 2, 2014

Real-name policy of Facebook and gender minorities

Facebook had a meeting with LGBT members to discuss the real-name policy.


According to the media, hundreds of LGBT users accounts were suspended because they used unreal name several weeks ago. This treatment was based on a report of fake accounts. Actually, they used alternative names in the real life. Facebook seemed not to notice that the report was done with malice.




Facebook withdrew this treatment and made a conference with LGBT groups. It decided to consider the change of its policy to help them to use Facebook more flexible.

Chris Cox, a chief product officer, published a comment on Facebook about this matter, apologizing to the concerned people. He explained that the real-name policy of Facebook was justified to protect the users and the society from inappropriate behavior on the internet, yet this policy did not mean that all users were required to disclose their legal name. The concept of this policy is to use the authentic name same as in daily life. He added that the process of certification of the names had a room of improvement.


Facebook responded very sincerely this time. It used to be tolerant to LGBT, referring to its gender form, as I wrote in the past. Accepting diversity means to let them behave freely. People belonging minority are likely to encounter a necessity of changing their name, such as a victim of domestic violence. In terms of this perspective, real-name policy seems a little conservative. On the other hand, it is true that the identification ensures us security on the internet to some extent. Facebook will have a difficulty to handle this dilemma.


By the way, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is focused as being a gay. His sexual preference has been known widely. But it is for the first time for him to declare it in a public place.


Gender minority has become gradually common in the society. I approve this tendency.

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