Facebook forbidden from enforcing its 'real name' policy in Germany

Facebook can't stop users in Germany from using aliases, a German regulator ruled on Tuesday

The Hamburg data protection authority said Facebook cannot enforce its "real name" policy in Germany by changing a user's chosen name to their legal name or demanding users hand over official ID

Under Facebook's real-name policy, the social network can suspend reported accounts for using a name other than the one listed on a user's official ID

In this case, the German regulator's order followed a complaint from a woman who reported Facebook blocked her account after she used an alias, then eventually changed her chosen name to her legal name without consent. The woman reportedly used an alias on Facebook because she did not want to be reached with business-related requests Read more...