German Court Says Facebook's Real Names Policy Violates Users' Privacy

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rgMekanic

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In a report from Techdirt a German court has ruled that Facebook's real names policy violates local data protection rules. The ruling from the Berlin Regional Court states that users must be allowed to sign up for Facebook using pseudonyms to comply with privacy law. The court ruling was detailed today on German website VZBV, whi is appealing the court ruling, stating that Facebook's claim that it is "free" was misleading because people pay with their data.

I have to agree with Techdirt, with Germany's recent and repeated attempts to crack down on "bad content" on Facebook, making the service more anonymous seems detrimental to their efforts. Thanks to Jeff T. for the story.

So, if you're Facebook, at this point you have to wonder just what you have to do to keep the service running in Germany without upsetting officials. You can't let anything bad happen on the platform, and you can't get user's names. It increasingly seems that Germany wants Facebook to just magically "only allow good stuff" no matter how impossible that might be.
 
Bah, I don't know about FB but virtually all "free" email providers are pretty much requiring you to enter real names and phone number so they can mine you even better. Fuck them all I say. Fuck them to death, then revive them only to do it again. What we really need is an army of robot rapists, though. Yeah...
 
Well, I'd give that a Thumbs Down, but with FB, I don't think that is allowed.
 
didn't know there was a policy. i use a nickname on mine as well as many people I know. they can kiss my ass if they don't like it. hahaha
 
I thought the transgender community already fought this fight in the US?
 
real name policy is a true and effective discouragement against criticism on regulatory and political bodies, due to the sue-happy nature of things and the astronomical lawyer fees.

or the gov will just make you disappear , like in many other countries in the world where FB stil operates.
 
Given that I mostly use FB as a tool to communicate with people I've met and don't have their phone numbers I actually liked having real names.

Well now all I'll be getting is a ton of sweetgirl89 and powerboy23 I guess given the track record of earlier social websites.

Don't get me wrong, I think privacy is important but real names are just way less silly.
 
Since when has Germany cared about privacy? If anything they'd want all the information so they can send anyone slightly against the current refugee policy to the progressive gulags.
 
So here's that other side...

but why do German citizens have a right to use a private website service?
 
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I can see this would be privacy from your neighbors... but if they have your IP, they likely know how you are. There is no privacy by not using a real name on facebook. In fact, I would postulate that not using your real name may actually flag you to the powers that be.
 
Like all politicians and most judges, their lack of ability to understand how technology works is baffling. Yes, they want to police the site for "bad stuff" but they don't want anyone identified. Then, when the politicians and cops come yelling to get info on someone's rant on Facebook they want the company to have all that information readily available. Privacy and no privacy at the same time, all the while with effective enforcement of local laws. Yeah, that's possible.
 
Are they doing this to feel better about the other ways they are letting their citizens be violated?
 
Just once I'd like a company to say "Piss off", just don't use it then if you don't like it. Facebook is one of the companies that actually has the capitol to do that. I just think it would be funny watching the customer scramble after.
 
cthulhuiscool said:
Since when has Germany cared about privacy? If anything they'd want all the information so they can send anyone slightly against the current refugee policy to the progressive gulags.
Click to expand...

Spare us your alt-right bullshit, please. Thanks from Germany.
 
Simple solution: FB should just change their policies to ban users located in Germany. The irony is that the German government would probably sue them for that too.
 
Here's a thought. If you want privacy (whatever that even means these days), don't use facebook at all.
 
PaulP said:
Simple solution: FB should just change their policies to ban users located in Germany. The irony is that the German government would probably sue them for that too.
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Or Facebook should tell Germany "it's your job to stop people from your country from accessing the WORLD wide web" I'm sure when people don't have their precious Facebook they'll easily give up the whole "no names needed" "privacy" rules.
 
dgz said:
Bah, I don't know about FB but virtually all "free" email providers are pretty much requiring you to enter real names and phone number so they can mine you even better. Fuck them all I say. Fuck them to death, then revive them only to do it again. What we really need is an army of robot rapists, though. Yeah...
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
Bah, am I the only one who still remembers his ICQ number even though its been years since I've used it? Who needs names when you can have a number instead?
 
Geef said:
Bah, am I the only one who still remembers his ICQ number even though its been years since I've used it? Who needs names when you can have a number instead?
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Nope, still remember mine but that's because it's a 7-digit one, lol.
 
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