#realnames — Public Fediverse posts

News at the intersection of tech and policy shows that Child Safety Online has joined National Security as the cudgel used to weaken #privacy protections. From #RealNames and overuse of #IdentityProofing, to pushing for encryption backdoors, we have a fight on our hands. We need more fighters like @Mer__edith and Elizabeth Garber that focus on the rights and protections of the individual.
#NoBackdoors #ZKP #Identity
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meredith-whittaker-weekend-interview/

News at the intersection of tech and policy shows that Child Safety Online has joined National Security as the cudgel used to weaken #privacy protections. From #RealNames and overuse of #IdentityProofing, to pushing for encryption backdoors, we have a fight on our hands. We need more fighters like @Mer__edith and Elizabeth Garber that focus on the rights and protections of the individual.
#NoBackdoors #ZKP #Identity
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meredith-whittaker-weekend-interview/

News at the intersection of tech and policy shows that Child Safety Online has joined National Security as the cudgel used to weaken #privacy protections. From #RealNames and overuse of #IdentityProofing, to pushing for encryption backdoors, we have a fight on our hands. We need more fighters like @Mer__edith and Elizabeth Garber that focus on the rights and protections of the individual.
#NoBackdoors #ZKP #Identity
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meredith-whittaker-weekend-interview/

News at the intersection of tech and policy shows that Child Safety Online has joined National Security as the cudgel used to weaken #privacy protections. From #RealNames and overuse of #IdentityProofing, to pushing for encryption backdoors, we have a fight on our hands. We need more fighters like @Mer__edith and Elizabeth Garber that focus on the rights and protections of the individual.
#NoBackdoors #ZKP #Identity
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meredith-whittaker-weekend-interview/

News at the intersection of tech and policy shows that Child Safety Online has joined National Security as the cudgel used to weaken #privacy protections. From #RealNames and overuse of #IdentityProofing, to pushing for encryption backdoors, we have a fight on our hands. We need more fighters like @Mer__edith and Elizabeth Garber that focus on the rights and protections of the individual.
#NoBackdoors #ZKP #Identity
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2026-meredith-whittaker-weekend-interview/

What is America and what map is it on? I know what North America is and I know what South America is but what is America? There is no such thing as America.

The way “America” is used—especially in media, politics, and pop culture—often erases the presence of Canada, Mexico, and the rest of the continent. It’s a linguistic shortcut that’s become so normalized, it quietly reinforces a kind of U.S.-centric worldview

#wtf #usa #canada #mexico #bullynation #bully #uspol #realnames #weexisttoo

Anyone here familiar with the #Realnames product from #Hover? Trying to buy a #domain which they've hoovered up for their service and am getting contradictory information as to whether they'll sell #domains if people ask and are willing to pay enough to make the sale viable for them. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

#IT #website #websites #webmaster #webmasters #sysadmin #sysadmins @hover

Anyone here familiar with the #Realnames product from #Hover? Trying to buy a #domain which they've hoovered up for their service and am getting contradictory information as to whether they'll sell #domains if people ask and are willing to pay enough to make the sale viable for them. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

#IT #website #websites #webmaster #webmasters #sysadmin #sysadmins @hover

@GavinChait News24 shut down comments for a while because things got so bad. Moderation is better these days, but the level of debate can be dire.

I'm still championing #realnames as the only mitigation, but that is hard to sell given economic headwinds and the inherent challenges.

@GavinChait News24 shut down comments for a while because things got so bad. Moderation is better these days, but the level of debate can be dire.

I'm still championing #realnames as the only mitigation, but that is hard to sell given economic headwinds and the inherent challenges.

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#Loudwire
The Real Names of Over 50 Rock + Metal Icons
You know 'em by their stage names.

https://loudwire.com/rock-metal-musicians-real-names-stage-names/

#RockMusicians
#MetalMusicians
#RealNames
#StageNames
#RockAndMetal
#CareerNames
#FansKnow
#IconicNames

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#Loudwire
The Real Names of Over 50 Rock + Metal Icons
You know 'em by their stage names.

https://loudwire.com/rock-metal-musicians-real-names-stage-names/

#RockMusicians
#MetalMusicians
#RealNames
#StageNames
#RockAndMetal
#CareerNames
#FansKnow
#IconicNames

Young #naked #women are their #canvas – #nude #art of 2 #anonymous #HongKong #artists challenges city’s #conservative #attitudes towards #sex.

They may have #legions of #fans but when it comes to their #identities, Hong Kong #artists #Lousy and #Matsushimaon choose to play it safe, working in complete #privacy and keeping their #realnames a #secret.

#Women #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #Asia #EastAsia #China #HongKong #Sexuality #Sexuality #Intimacy #Representation

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3238637/young-naked-women-are-their-canvas-nude-art-2-anonymous-hong-kong-artists-challenges-citys

Young #naked #women are their #canvas – #nude #art of 2 #anonymous #HongKong #artists challenges city’s #conservative #attitudes towards #sex.

They may have #legions of #fans but when it comes to their #identities, Hong Kong #artists #Lousy and #Matsushimaon choose to play it safe, working in complete #privacy and keeping their #realnames a #secret.

#Women #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #Asia #EastAsia #China #HongKong #Sexuality #Sexuality #Intimacy #Representation

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3238637/young-naked-women-are-their-canvas-nude-art-2-anonymous-hong-kong-artists-challenges-citys

Have to handle names in your professional capacity, this list of assumptions people make about names goes way beyond programming.

Make the world a better place, don't assume first and last name are common or necessary. Have a box, let people fill it in as appropriate for them and make it big enough that a super long name will actually fit (if you're thinking 32 characters is super long, then I have bad news for you).

https://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/

#names #RealNames #Programming #forms #identity

- There are no #groups, which were a #KillerFeature for Facebook.
- No #BirthdayReminders.
- Most people don't use their #RealNames, so it all feels impersonal. Well, it's all well and good to be a #nymian and choose your own real name, but at least be consistent then, and not have a name for #Mastodon and another for #GitHub and #LinkedIn.
- People aren't sure what to post. Most post links and thoughts. Very few personal diary/updates and selfies, although those might be nice.
...continuing...

- There are no #groups, which were a #KillerFeature for Facebook.
- No #BirthdayReminders.
- Most people don't use their #RealNames, so it all feels impersonal. Well, it's all well and good to be a #nymian and choose your own real name, but at least be consistent then, and not have a name for #Mastodon and another for #GitHub and #LinkedIn.
- People aren't sure what to post. Most post links and thoughts. Very few personal diary/updates and selfies, although those might be nice.
...continuing...

#RealNames Anyone who has been a victim of DV will understand why real names are a terrible idea.

#RealNames Anyone who has been a victim of DV will understand why real names are a terrible idea.

#RealNames

Let me be really clear about this. Any social media platform that is toying with the idea of requiring public "real names" use by users is playing with a ticking hydrogen bomb.

It should have been obvious enough how complicated this is given all the problems #Facebook caused when other sites started to require real names Facebook logins for access to comments and other features on those other sites.

I worked with some of these issues at Google, where originally Google Plus was using real names, though this was later wisely changed.

There is a long list of issues associated with forcing people to publicly use real names. Some people are just fine with using their real names on some sites, but on other sites dealing with other topics there's simply no good reason why they should be required to use their real names. An obvious example is someone being forced to use their real name to ask questions about a medical or other personal issue for which they could face discrimination in employment or elsewhere.

There is a controversial argument to be made, that I am frankly somewhat sympathetic toward (though I very much wish we had not come to this point), that in *some* situations where individuals are going to be posting to very large audiences, some way to identify those individuals in cases of extreme abuse may be necessary. I suspect that regulatory changes are headed in that direction.

BUT, and this is crucial, this should not mean that even those individuals would have to use their real names on posts, and their identities would need to be carefully protected, probably by a third party.

In practice, though it's easy to say all this in theory, I have doubts that it would work in the real world. Disadvantaged individuals and groups, whistleblowers, etc. are at special risk. Data leaks might reveal identity associations. It's all so very complicated. Perhaps -- even likely -- it's completely impossible to accomplish in a safe manner.

We're going to be seeing ever more calls for real names having some sort of role on the Internet. Some movement in this direction may be inevitable. But it is crucial that we don't fall hook, line, and sinker for social media firms trying to force individuals to use their real names publicly in the course of regular social media activities. That, is a trap. -L

#RealNames

Let me be really clear about this. Any social media platform that is toying with the idea of requiring public "real names" use by users is playing with a ticking hydrogen bomb.

It should have been obvious enough how complicated this is given all the problems #Facebook caused when other sites started to require real names Facebook logins for access to comments and other features on those other sites.

I worked with some of these issues at Google, where originally Google Plus was using real names, though this was later wisely changed.

There is a long list of issues associated with forcing people to publicly use real names. Some people are just fine with using their real names on some sites, but on other sites dealing with other topics there's simply no good reason why they should be required to use their real names. An obvious example is someone being forced to use their real name to ask questions about a medical or other personal issue for which they could face discrimination in employment or elsewhere.

There is a controversial argument to be made, that I am frankly somewhat sympathetic toward (though I very much wish we had not come to this point), that in *some* situations where individuals are going to be posting to very large audiences, some way to identify those individuals in cases of extreme abuse may be necessary. I suspect that regulatory changes are headed in that direction.

BUT, and this is crucial, this should not mean that even those individuals would have to use their real names on posts, and their identities would need to be carefully protected, probably by a third party.

In practice, though it's easy to say all this in theory, I have doubts that it would work in the real world. Disadvantaged individuals and groups, whistleblowers, etc. are at special risk. Data leaks might reveal identity associations. It's all so very complicated. Perhaps -- even likely -- it's completely impossible to accomplish in a safe manner.

We're going to be seeing ever more calls for real names having some sort of role on the Internet. Some movement in this direction may be inevitable. But it is crucial that we don't fall hook, line, and sinker for social media firms trying to force individuals to use their real names publicly in the course of regular social media activities. That, is a trap. -L

@loppear Alts also solve the "different personas in different contexts" issue. Something that #RealNames based single-identity systems fail at miserably.

@celia

Forced revelation of information makes individual privilege more important (2014)

In practice, the forced revelation of information makes individual privilege and power more important. When everyone has to play with their cards on the table, so to speak, then people who feel like they can be themselves without consequence do so freely -- these generally being people with support groups of like-minded people, and who are neither economically nor physically vulnerable. People who are more vulnerable to consequences use concealment as a method of protection: it makes it possible to speak freely about controversial subjects, or even about any subjects, without fear of harassment.

-- Yonatan Zunger, chief architect of Google+

HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27858439

#RealNames #anonymity #pseudonymity #identity #power #PowerRelationships #YonatanZunger #GooglePlus #DavidBrin #TransparentSociety