The Cases For and Against Google+'s Real-Name Policy

Using a pseudonym on Google+? It's likely that your profile has or will be deleted by Google. Over the weekend the social network purged a bunch of accounts for "violating terms of service", reports ZDNet. The social network has gone a deletion rampage, disabling pseudonymous users because they had violated Google's "Community Standards" and "Terms of Service." Google requires users to go by their "real name" on the social network, penalizing those with Internet pseudonyms. Should the social network really be forcing its users to go by their legal names? Or does Google perhaps have the right to force its users to proclaim their identities? The tech community weighs in.

Anonymity is unethical

This isn't the first time we've seen a social network take a stand on identity. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has publicly said that "having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity," explains Geek.com's John Brownlee. Google+ has implemented the policy for a reason. In their terms of service they explain their reasoning behind requiring "real" names.

Read the full story at The Atlantic Wire.