A lot of users in Germany already, from my experience, 'use pseudonyms' (you just put a real-enough sounding name that's fake) and be done with it.
Facebook should really not try to make the same mistakes as G+ in that sense
Facebook should really not try to make the same mistakes as G+ in that sense
Facebook would be making the same mistake as Google if it did allow pseudonyms.
In England you can use whatever name you like, as long as you don't have the intent to deceive. (This is tricky with doctors and banks). So, legally, I could be "Bob Smith" and "Ann Jones" at the same time. Why does Facebook get to tell me that I only have one name when my government is fine with me having multiple names?
Because Facebook isn't your government. It is a non-government entity with a very specific vision. If it finds that the use of fake names hinders the experience of other users and there by Facebook Corp., it should be allowed to require real names.
Other than for a small number of reasons due to protected groups, businesses generally have the right to refuse business to anyone for any reason.
Do I think Facebook should be allowed to block black people? No.
Do I think Facebook should be allowed to block pseudonyms? Yes.
I've never tried to use a false name, but it probably would be easy for many things (utilities, local government) but difficult for others (bank account).
I don't have a FB account for quite some time now, but yes: Every contact (right - let's be honest: 80% of my contacts or more) obscured their name. Some just changed a little thing, like using a handle instead of the first name. Others did the ~useless~ reverse-the-last-name thing. Some people mashed up their names by - for example - translating parts of it to English (name contains 'rot', translate to 'red'). And quite a number of people just used insane (if you're German, and not the clever/good insane) puns/references/crap as name.
The real name policy is already a failure. Not trying to enforce it, or - more correctly - not being allowed to enforce it, is a step forward.
And it's very annoying for everybody else. It defeats the entire purpose of Facebook when I can't find my friends.
If _your_ friends don't pick their real name, take it up with your friends? What kind of attitude is that, really?
"I cannot find my friends if everyone can pick their name on this platform, hence this is very annoying". What?
We're talking friends here. Ask them: "Hey, are you on Facebook?" (reasonable question in my social circles, implying a yes is baaad) and follow up with "What's your name/can you add me as a friend?". Solved. They're your friends, after all.
Why should I force my friends to do something they do not want?
Talk to each other like, you know, people who should actually add each other on fb
When I'm on HN I'm building up a professional reputation, so I use my real name (or at least an easily searchable abbreviation of it) here.
Why would it be a mistake since it is a pretty common use pattern despite the rules Facebook tries to impose?
I can also flip your argument and say that why do people who use fake names want to impose themselves on Facebook? They could just as well abide by Facebook's guidelines or just not use it.
I really wish I could assign them aliases I know them under rather than what name or gender they feel like this month. Steam does that and it's very useful.
I don't think any of the German Facebook friends I have use their full real name, and some of the pseudonyms aren't even that real-enough sounding to German-speakers.