Such a Drag

There’s a very simple answer to this conundrum.

A group of drag queens and transgender performers have called on Facebook to allow stage names rather than real names on the social network.

A petition supporting the change has attracted more than 2,000 signatures.

Facebook told the BBC that its real-name policy was designed to protect the community and increase accountability.

But the group argued that performers should be allowed to use stage names for reasons of “privacy, safety, or preference”.

Facebook is a privately owned company. It may set whatever rules it chooses. The answer, therefore, is to eschew it as I do. I use my feminine persona elsewhere and no one tries to force me to use my real name just as no one does here. That, then, is the solution. Just don’t use Facebook. I don’t and never will. Indeed, I never use any site that forces me to use my real name.

That said, technical question, how does it know if you lie?

7 Comments

  1. I used Faceache for a while because people kept sending me links through the blog, but I gave it up because it bored me.
    I was always ‘Bucko Themoose’ though, never my real name. They could just as easily register as ‘Botox Plasticcox’ if they wanted to.

  2. I am on Farcebok twice and neither of them is my real name. Just real-sounding names

    There are utterly farcical names on there. A stage name is no problem at all.

    I think these queens are just after publicilty.

    • I have a FaceAche account in an assumed name, just for those games that will give you free stuff if you link to it.

      Well, I say ‘assumed name’, but it’s actually my real surname plus a Christian name. No way the system can know that though.

  3. I guess is that Facebook rules say they want your real name. They don’t want to take the risk of FB deleting their accounts and losing all their breakfast pictures.
    and/or They want to have all sites bowing down to the PC gods and that they have to accept Bob registered as Sharon.

  4. I closed my real Facecrap page when I left my ex.
    I did briefly open a page in a fake name , because I liked playing word with friends and had some people I played regularly with.
    I love old cemeteries and picked a name from one I visit occasionally as I like the name, it was Winnie Daft (see why I liked it) it was open a week and then Facecrap closed it and sent me an email saying I was in breach of their TOU and that it was a made up name so I could no longer use it unless I sent them my bloody birth certificate
    I emailed them back and said screw you I am NOT giving you my birth certificate just for crappy Facecrap and that I would go elsewhere for my social media.
    Cheeky bastards okay so it was not my name but it’s not for them to decide who’s name is real and who’s is not. .

  5. Funnily enough, I have always backed away from Facebook, ever since a friend – some years ago – asked me to view their entry, and I found out that I had to register and give them all sorts of info before I could view my friend’s page/entries.

    Naturally my first thought was “Bugger this for a game of soldiers”, and in any case, I view such an invite – even from friends – as a slightly more modern version of the once-dreaded “Have you seen our holiday slides?”

    Since then I have read so many occurences of homes being trashed or burgled following anouncements on Facebook of forthcoming parties or holidays; Facebook appears to be a veritable “Sits. Vac.” for the ungodly or other anti-social little scrotes. Why anyone in their right mind would want to publicly announce such parties, or the fact that their home will be empty for a fortnight completely escapes me.

    I don’t feel I have any other persona to explore under even a nom de plume,, but then according to my wife, I have but two sides – (1) grouch, and 2) curmudgeon.

    Can’t see it myself…

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