Nymwars
Encyclopedia
Nymwars is the name given to the conflicts over policies mandating that users of internet service identify using real names. They began in July 2011 when the social networking site Google+
began enforcing its real name only policy by suspending the accounts of users it felt were not following the policy. Pseudonym
s, nickname
s, and non-standard real names (for example, mononyms or names that include scripts from multiple languages) were suspended. The term is a neologism, coined from "pseudonym" and appears to have gained prominence as the hashtag "#nymwars" on Twitter
.
The resulting discussions have raised many issues regarding naming, cultural sensitivity, public and private identity, privacy, and the role of social media in modern discourse. The debate has been covered widely in the press including Wired
, The Atlantic, and The New York Times
.
s, handles
, stage name
s, or other names by which they were commonly known, but which did not necessarily match the name on their government-issued ID.
The first suspensions for name-related reasons occurred in early July 2011, and included Second Life
user Opensource Obscure and student Rowan Thunder. On July 22, Google+ began a large-scale suspension of accounts which did not meet its naming standards, including Limor Fried
's account which included the name "LadyAda" (by which she is widely known), nerdcore rapper Doctor Popular, and LA Weekly
and LA Times columnist A.V. Flox. Account suspensions over the following weeks included those who were using nicknames, handles, and pseudonyms; those whose legal names were unusual, including mononymous users; and some users that Google
believed were impersonating famous individuals, such as Facebook
employee and Mozilla
founder Blake Ross
, and actor William Shatner
.
Awareness of the issue grew rapidly, via Twitter
, Google+ itself, and a variety of media outlets. By early August, the Electronic Frontier Foundation
had posted "A Case for Pseudonymity" in response to the issue.
Google initially responded on July 25, when Google VP Bradley Horowitz promised improvements to the suspension and enforcement process. On August 17, they implemented a "grace period" before suspension, and on August 19, a "verified account" program for celebrities and high-profile users.
On October 19, at the Web 2.0 Summit, Google executive Vic Gundotra
revealed that Google+ will begin supporting pseudonyms and other types of identity within a few months.
In November, the issue spread beyond Google+: Facebook
suspended Salman Rushdie's account, and then reinstated it under his little-used first name Ahmed, before backing down and restoring it to his preferred name. At the same time, a statement from the United States Department of Justice
raised fears that web users could face criminal prosecution for using pseudonyms.
's official support page,
Google
offers support and assistance to anyone whose profile has been suspended, including an appeal process, and a referral to their Content Policy. If an account is suspended, users will not be able to access Google services that require active profiles, such as Buzz
, Reader
, and Picasa
. They will, however, be able to access other Google services such as Gmail
.
Google suggests that their naming policy may not be for everyone, and recommends if a user choses not to comply, to make a copy of their Google+ data, and leave.
In August 2011, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted as stating that Google+ was intended as an identity management
service more than as a social network, and that the use of real names would be necessary for other planned Google products based on this service. He also asserted that "the Internet will work better if people know that you're a real person rather than a fake person".
, Kevin Marks
, and Robert Scoble
and organisations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation
.
Criticisms have been wide-ranging, for example:
The German "Telemediengesetz" federal law makes anonymous access to online services a legal requirement.
Google+
Google+ is a social networking and identity service, operated by Google Inc.The service was launched on June 28, 2011, in an invite-only "field testing" phase. The following day, existing users were allowed to invite friends who were over 18 years of age to the service to create their own accounts....
began enforcing its real name only policy by suspending the accounts of users it felt were not following the policy. Pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s, nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s, and non-standard real names (for example, mononyms or names that include scripts from multiple languages) were suspended. The term is a neologism, coined from "pseudonym" and appears to have gained prominence as the hashtag "#nymwars" on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
The resulting discussions have raised many issues regarding naming, cultural sensitivity, public and private identity, privacy, and the role of social media in modern discourse. The debate has been covered widely in the press including Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
, The Atlantic, and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
.
Overview of events
Google Plus was launched in late June 2011. At the time of launch, the site's user content and conduct policy stated, "To help fight spam and prevent fake profiles, use the name your friends, family or co-workers usually call you." Many users signed up using nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s, handles
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
, stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s, or other names by which they were commonly known, but which did not necessarily match the name on their government-issued ID.
The first suspensions for name-related reasons occurred in early July 2011, and included Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
user Opensource Obscure and student Rowan Thunder. On July 22, Google+ began a large-scale suspension of accounts which did not meet its naming standards, including Limor Fried
Limor Fried
Limor Fried, aka ladyada, is an American electrical engineer and owner of the electronics hobbyist company, Adafruit Industries. She is influential in the open-source hardware scene, having participated in the first Open Source Hardware Summit and the drafting of the Open Source Hardware...
's account which included the name "LadyAda" (by which she is widely known), nerdcore rapper Doctor Popular, and LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
and LA Times columnist A.V. Flox. Account suspensions over the following weeks included those who were using nicknames, handles, and pseudonyms; those whose legal names were unusual, including mononymous users; and some users that Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
believed were impersonating famous individuals, such as Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
employee and Mozilla
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
founder Blake Ross
Blake Ross
Blake Aaron Ross is an American software developer who is known for his work on the Mozilla web browser; in particular, he started the Mozilla Firefox project with Dave Hyatt, as well as the Spread Firefox project with Asa Dotzler while working as a contractor at the Mozilla Foundation...
, and actor William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
.
Awareness of the issue grew rapidly, via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, Google+ itself, and a variety of media outlets. By early August, the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit digital rights advocacy and legal organization based in the United States...
had posted "A Case for Pseudonymity" in response to the issue.
Google initially responded on July 25, when Google VP Bradley Horowitz promised improvements to the suspension and enforcement process. On August 17, they implemented a "grace period" before suspension, and on August 19, a "verified account" program for celebrities and high-profile users.
On October 19, at the Web 2.0 Summit, Google executive Vic Gundotra
Vic Gundotra
Vivek "Vic" Gundotra , is Senior Vice-President of Social Business for Google and was previously a general manager at Microsoft.-Career:Gundotra joined Microsoft in 1991 and eventually became General Manager of Platform Evangelism...
revealed that Google+ will begin supporting pseudonyms and other types of identity within a few months.
In November, the issue spread beyond Google+: Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
suspended Salman Rushdie's account, and then reinstated it under his little-used first name Ahmed, before backing down and restoring it to his preferred name. At the same time, a statement from the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
raised fears that web users could face criminal prosecution for using pseudonyms.
Google Policy
According to GoogleGoogle
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's official support page,
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
offers support and assistance to anyone whose profile has been suspended, including an appeal process, and a referral to their Content Policy. If an account is suspended, users will not be able to access Google services that require active profiles, such as Buzz
Google Buzz
Google Buzz is a social networking, microblogging and messaging tool from Google integrated into the company's web-based email program, Gmail. Users can share links, photos, videos, status messages and comments organized in "conversations" and visible in the user's inbox. On October 14, 2011,...
, Reader
Google Reader
Google Reader is a Web-based aggregator, capable of reading Atom and RSS feeds online or offline. It was released by Google on October 7, 2005 through Google Labs. Reader was graduated from beta status on September 17, 2007.-Interface:...
, and Picasa
Picasa
Picasa is an image organizer and image viewer for organizing and editing digital photos, plus an integrated photo-sharing website, originally created by Idealab in 2002 and owned by Google since 2004. "Picasa" is a blend of the name of Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, the phrase mi casa for "my...
. They will, however, be able to access other Google services such as Gmail
Gmail
Gmail is a free, advertising-supported email service provided by Google. Users may access Gmail as secure webmail, as well via POP3 or IMAP protocols. Gmail was launched as an invitation-only beta release on April 1, 2004 and it became available to the general public on February 7, 2007, though...
.
Google suggests that their naming policy may not be for everyone, and recommends if a user choses not to comply, to make a copy of their Google+ data, and leave.
Google's stance
A Google support worker has stated:In August 2011, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was quoted as stating that Google+ was intended as an identity management
Identity management
Identity management is a broad administrative area that deals with identifying individuals in a system and controlling access to the resources in that system by placing restrictions on the established identities of the individuals.Identity management is multidisciplinary and covers many...
service more than as a social network, and that the use of real names would be necessary for other planned Google products based on this service. He also asserted that "the Internet will work better if people know that you're a real person rather than a fake person".
Criticism
A number of high-profile commentators have publicly criticised Google's policies, including technologists Jamie ZawinskiJamie Zawinski
Jamie Zawinski , commonly known as jwz, is a former professional American computer programmer responsible for significant contributions to the free software projects Mozilla and XEmacs, and early versions of the Netscape Navigator web browser...
, Kevin Marks
Kevin Marks
Kevin Marks is author of the weblog . He was Vice President of Web Services at BT. He became Principal Engineer for Technorati after working for both Apple and the BBC. At the TechCrunch event Realtime Stream Crunchup he announced that he would be joining BT to work together with JP Rangaswami. In...
, and Robert Scoble
Robert Scoble
Robert Scoble is an American blogger, technical evangelist, and author. Scoble is best known for his blog, Scobleizer, which came to prominence during his tenure as a technology evangelist at Microsoft. He is married to Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble. He has three children; one from a previous...
and organisations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-profit digital rights advocacy and legal organization based in the United States...
.
Criticisms have been wide-ranging, for example:
- The policy fails to acknowledge long-standing Internet culture and conventions.
- Using real names online can disadvantage or endanger some individuals, such as victims of violence or harassment.
- Using a pseudonym is different from anonymityAnonymityAnonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
, and a pseudonym used consistently denotes an “authentic personality.” - Google's arguments fail to address the financial gain represented by connecting personal data to real-world identities.
- Google has inconsistently enforced their policy, especially by making exceptions for celebrities using pseudonyms and mononyms.
- The policy as stated is insufficient for preventing spamSpam (electronic)Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately...
.
The German "Telemediengesetz" federal law makes anonymous access to online services a legal requirement.