Why does Facebook make you use your real name?

[redqueen]

Does anyone here not do that? I don't want to. Who do they think they are, the DMV? WTF?

[Midlodemocrat]

1. It doesn't. Can't elaborate, but it doesn't.

[flvegan]

2. Nice post, "Chrissy Snow"

[Midlodemocrat]

8. Thanks, Chris Meloni.

[LeftyMom]

18. Jesus, do I ever wish.

Damn, he's hot.

[Midlodemocrat]

32. Dude. I got sent a full frontal of him the other day.

I can die happy.

[LeftyMom]

34. I've watched the full series of Oz. I think I've seen him naked more than I see myself.

That whole show's just wall to wall nekid men. And violence.

[Heidi]

4. S'okay, Midlo. I elaborated.

:rofl:

[Heidi]

3. They don't.

I have an unused Facebook account that isn't registered under my own name. It's registered to my spam-collectin' email address, and I registered so that I could check into why I kept getting "So-and-so has added you as a friend" mails to my main account from people in my past to whom I had _NEVER_ given my main email account.

[Silver Swan]

5. When I joined facebook

I did it on a whim, and I used a name that could identify me, but it is not and never has been my legal name.

[redqueen]

6. I only joined to see my sister's profile

cause she wanted me to see one of her friends... but I used a fake name.

I was thinking about using it though and now when I try to change the name it gives me this big lecture popup about how you have to use your real name and they review changes. Fascists.

[Sky Masterson]

7. The thing I hate about facebook is that you can't really quit Facebook

You can cancel your account and come back a month later and reactivate it and everything is there just like you left it.Friends,pictures, profile.Everything.
It's kind of fucked up actually

[Tuesday Afternoon]

40. You can check out but you can never leave

It is the Hotel California of websites :scared: :D :hi:

[mayahah]

9. because

it was originaly created for members of the same school/college to have contact networks. then it was open to everybody.

[Sky Masterson]

10. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[bigwillq]

13. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[DarkTirade]

16. That is correct, and welcome to DU.

:)

[rockymountaindem]

38. That's why it used to be a lot better n/t

[northzax]

11. you want to be anonymous?

use the myspace. the reason facebook went well past myspace in terms of membership is that people are actually who they say they are, almost entirely. used to be you needed a .edu address to join. what's the point of social networking if people are anonymous?

[bigwillq]

12. It's my real first name

and a variation on my last name. I changed it about a few months after I joined.

[redqueen]

20. Did you get the pop-up lecture thing?

The message I got when I went to change it said they review changes and it has to be your real name and blah blah blah.

I'm just leaving it as it is anyway.

[bigwillq]

21. No, don't remember that.

It took a few days to get approved though.

[eyesroll]

27. They don't actually review it for reality--I think they review it for plausibility.

They don't check marriage licenses or divorce decrees or anything. Plenty of people gave themselves the middle name "Hussein" during the election and nobody followed up.

So, if you change your name to "Red King" from "Red Queen," (maybe even to "Scarlet King") it'll go through fine.

I'm there under my real name, but then I'm not all that anonymous here, either.

Alternatively, you can register under whatever you want, so long as it takes the form of a first name and a last name. Facebook isn't a legal contract or anything.

[redqueen]

30. I was thinking changing it from red king to red queen wouldn't work...

just cause it's not a real name.

Worth a shot though... I can always re-register.

[AirmensMom]

36. I would think that red king would work.

Red is a legitimate nickname around here and King is a popular last name. Wouldn't be at all unusual. :shrug:

[unpossibles]

14. I have friends who don't use their real name

and sometimes I wish I had done the same, but then again I have managed to reconnect a couple of times with people I miss, so maybe not.

[DarkTirade]

17. I have one friend who uses the name of a favorate character of his from a movie.

:)

[Sky Masterson]

19. The nerve of some people

:hide:

[DarkTirade]

26. ... okay, two friends.

:P

[Amerigo Vespucci]

15. Benjamin Dover reporting for duty...

:rofl:

[Lex]

22. I don't think they do. How would they know if you didn't?

Couldn't you just use a made up first and last name?

I've certainly seen people on FB who clearly had made up names (fictional characters, etc.).

[Taverner]

23. Because your last name is cool!

Seriously, I have no clue

[MadBadger]

24. Facebook was originally for College Students to connect with other College kids.

Kind of important to have their real names and all.

[redqueen]

25. Already posted more than once but thanks.

Facebook needs to get the fuck over itself.

[SPKrazy]

28. now I wanna be yur facebook friend

:P

:hi:

yeah most have their real names, but a few don't.

[femmocrat]

29. How do they know if it's your real name?

I registered with a pseudonym. shhhhh! (Of course no one has ever contacted me, so it kind of defeats the purpose!)

[redqueen]

31. Exactly.

Who the frick do they think they are? Self-important buttholes.

[bikebloke]

33. I joined under a pseudonym.

After reading all the news stories about how Facebook wants to sell our info to the corporate creeps, there's no way I'll trust them with my real name. A Dutch friend was contemplating joining until I told her that. She changed her mind.

[tabbycat31]

35. I won't join until they don't display last names

ETA I don't care if people know my first name, but I'm one of 2 people in the country with my first and last name. If I had a more common last name things might be different.

[LynneSin]

37. I quit soon after I joined for the same exact reason

My name is very very uncommon. Next thing I know I had 2 losers from my high school contacting me. If I wanted to be associated with these people I would have stayed friends after I graduated (not that we were friends before I graduated). I closed my account the second those emails hit. I do not like having my full name out there for everyone to see.

[tabbycat31]

39. neither do I

however everyone's trying to convince me to join Facebook. However I have a unique middle name (my mom's maiden name) and I might just join under Caroline Middlename instead of Caroline Lastname.