By John Mack Freeman
Social media giant Facebook will soften its policy requiring users to use their real, legal name on the site. Instead, users will be instructed to use their “authentic” name, or the name that their communities best know them as. Users reported for using a false name will be given more of an opportunity to explain why they are using it, and users doing the reporting must provide more reasons behind their flagging request. Via PinkNews:
The social network has come under fire for banning members of the LGBT community from using the site without their real names.
Facebook banned hundreds of drag artists from the website last summer for not using their legal names on their profiles – which was later revealed to be the work of one user submitting a vast number of malicious reports.
The company promised to alter its ‘real name’ policy to allow trans people and drag artists to use their chosen names if they prefer – but no changes were ever made, and people still face bans.
