Google+

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Website
Name: Google+, Google Plus
Owner/Maintainer:
Dates: 2011-2019
Type: social network
Fandom: not applicable
URL: https://plus.google.com
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Google+ is a social networking site that initially received positive buzz among fans, many of whom liked Google's original identity policy which proposed using the name by which you are commonly known as your Google+ name. The 'circles' feature enabled fen to post fannish content to fen, professional content to coworkers and so on, ensuring privacy and discretion in content and this was embraced by many. However, fandom's relationship with Google+ quickly soured due to Google's flip-flop stance on pseudonyms and confusing, half-hearted approach to ensuring safety in anonymity. Google+ users discovered to be using pseuds or names that did not 'comply' with Google's policy on what a 'legal name' was risked having their G+ account suspended, along with all of their other Google services.[1] The service was eventually shut down by Google in 2019 after it failed to find an active user base.[2]

Nymwars

On Twitter, users advocating on behalf of pseudonymity coined the moniker/hashtag #nymwars for this conflict. One high-profile outcome of the "nymwars" is the My Name Is Me campaign launched by Skud.[3]

Resources

Reactions

References

  1. ^ Google Confirms: Non-Real Name Google Profiles Risk Suspension (I.E., Google Still Doesn’t Get Social), July 11, 2011, retrieved September 4, 2011.
  2. ^ Google+ will shut down for consumers on April 2nd, some features killed as soon as next week, January 30, 2019, retrieved September 29, 2022
  3. ^ Multiple contributors. my.nameis.me. Accessed 4 September 2011.
  4. ^ tablesaw. Banned From Google, 25 July 2011. (Accessed 25 July 2011)