Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea. Blog, Internet resources, online reading groups, articles and interviews, Illuminatus! info.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Are you serious, Facebook?


R.U. Sirius 

R.U. Sirius got into a spot of bother with Facebook recently — they booted him off under the site's "true names" policy. He's back on, but I think Facebook is in the wrong here, for reasons I'll take a minute to explain.

Now, Facebook's policy is not my policy — I don't care what names people use if they are kind enough to post comments on this blog.

But I do think I understand the impulse behind Facebook's rules. If you've ever posted something on the Internet and been smeared by someone hiding behind a phony name (it's happened to me), then you can understand where Facebook is coming from. People tend to be more responsible in their Internet comments if the comments can be attached to the person. If Mark Zuckerberg doesn't want somebody to call himself "Reginald Rootabaga" so he can call somebody a "racist" or a "Communist" or a "pervert," well, I get that.

But that's not what we're talking about here. R.U. Sirius aka Ken Goffman isn't trying to hide who he is when he uses the "R.U. Sirius" pen name, on Facebook, or anywhere else.  Just the opposite — he wants people who buy books to get to know the name. He posts his photo on his Twitter account, and it's easy to find out more about him. 

If anything, Facebook ought to insist that R.U. Sirius post under that name — because that's the name most people know him as. And it should make the rock star whose memoir I am currently reading post as "Elvis Costello." Most people are not going to know who "Declan MacManus" is. As far as most people can tell, "Elvis Costello" has become  his "true name."

Incidentally, I just checked, and on Facebook, Elvis Costello is "Elvis Costello." So Facebook isn't just silly, it's inconsistent.

7 comments:

OG (The Original Gabriel) said...

Please, everyone ... Report Elvis Costello for using a fake me!

OG (The Original Gabriel) said...

Please, everyone ... Report Elvis Costello for using a fake me!

nines said...

I almost don't even answer to my "real" name anymore.

Anonymous said...

true religion jeans
swarovski crystal
longchamp handbags
nhl jerseys
ray ban sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
swarovski outlet
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet store
nike air max
lebron shoes
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors outlet
true religion outlet
michael kors uk
louis vuitton outlet store
ray ban outlet
adidas outlet store
prada handbags
fitflop clearance
louis vuitton outlet
ray ban sunglasses
adidas outlet
michael kors wholesale
michael kors outlet
ray-ban sunglasses
cheap mlb jerseys
air jordan shoes
mlb jerseys
ralph lauren outlet
mulberry outlet
michael kors outlet
mulberry uk
nfl jerseys
20160315zhenhong

Unknown said...

jianbin0728
juicy couture outlet
michael kors outlet clearance
fitflops sale
toms shoes
michael kors outlet store
ugg boots
michael kors handbags
nike air huarache
hollister
lacoste polo shirts
ed hardy tshirts
prada sunglasses for women
beats by dre
jordan shoes
swarovski crystal
snapbacks wholesale
michael kors outlet store
nike soccer shoes
prada sneakers
nhl jerseys
longchamp handbags
michael kors factory outlet
michael kors outlet online
adidas uk store
ferragamo outlet
tods shoes
ugg outlet
tiffany and co jewelry
adidas trainers
mbt shoes
louis vuitton neverfull
true religion jeans

Fangyaya said...

north face outlet
coach factory outlet
uggs outlet
michael kors
longchamp sac
lebron 11
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin sale
ray ban sunglasses uk
ralph lauren outlet
beats outlet
jordan 11
louis vuitton handbags
ray ban sunglasses
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet
new england patriots jerseys
coach outlet store online
ugg boots
polo ralph lauren
ugg boots
louboutin pas cher
toms shoes outlet
true religion jeans sale
gucci handbags
michael kors outlet
gucci handbags
ugg sale
adidas running shoes
chenyingying20160903

chenlina said...

chenlina20170227
lee jeans
oakley sunglasses
cheap jordans
polo ralph lauren
coach outlet
true religion jeans
michael kors
nike air max 2017
birkenstock sandals
mlb jerseys