Google+ Says No to Joe Bloggs

Date: 28 Jul 2011

Several news sites have reported today that Google have begun suspending and deleting Google+ accounts that are not set up under a genuine name. Google are insisting that users set up their account under their "real" names to avoid misuse and trolling. 

This move has upset many Google+ users - many bloggers have come out against the move, citing that there are lots of genuine reasons for users not using their "real" names on any social networking site.

Other social networking sites like Facebook or LinkedIn also insist on accounts having a "real" name behind each account (however, John Smith or Joe Bloggs will also do). It is relatively straightforward to get around this, however many users have reacted angrily to having their accounts suspended - when often, an online tag is as personal as a "real" name in the offline world.

Many voices in the industry have suggested that this is just a teething exercise, given that Google+ is still only in test/beta format (despite having an estimated 20 Million users).