There have been countless blog posts, tweets, plurks and… +’s(?) about Google+ and the “identity crisis” as it’s been often coined. G+ has been suspending accounts (mostly on a temporary basis) for one reason or another – but seemingly most related to the account’s potential to be fraudulent because of a “fake” name being used. It started with an avatar named Opensource Obscure and has claimed the G+ accounts of many Second Life users, myself included (albeit temporarily).
You’d probably think that of all people I could understand the outcries of our virtual community, but truthfully… I’m kind of sick of the whining. I know we all hate what has happened – we want to share a social space with all of our friends in peace and harmony. But fact is, Google is just protecting themselves and the Terms of Service we all agreed to upon signing up for any of its services (and these apply not only to G+, but ALL Google related services).
How many of you actually read the TOS? It’s okay to be honest. Most people don’t read that sort of thing when they sign up for anything these days – never mind we could be agreeing to forfeit our first born child upon first log in. You probably don’t want to read all of that and so you do as I admittedly often do… you scroll down through the long paragraphs of legal mumbo-jumbo until you find the ticker box stating that you agree.
Google’s Terms of Service
Here are some very specific sections you apparently missed…
TOS: As part of this continuing innovation, you acknowledge and agree that Google may stop (permanently or temporarily) providing the Services (or any features within the Services) to you or to users generally at Google’s sole discretion, without prior notice to you. You may stop using the Services at any time. You do not need to specifically inform Google when you stop using the Services.
Explanation: Google can disable any and all of your accounts whenever they want without telling you about it just as you can stop using their services without informing them.
TOS: You acknowledge and agree that if Google disables access to your account, you may be prevented from accessing the Services, your account details or any files or other content which is contained in your account.
Explanation: You agree that if Google disables any of your Google branded accounts, you may be prevented from accessing Google related services altogether including files and other content.
TOS: In order to access certain Services, you may be required to provide information about yourself (such as identification or contact details) as part of the registration process for the Service, or as part of your continued use of the Services. You agree that any registration information you give to Google will always be accurate, correct and up to date.
Explanation: To use certain services, you might have to provide real and up to date information about yourself.
TOS: Google gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive license to use the software provided to you by Google as part of the Services as provided to you by Google (referred to as the “Software” below). This license is for the sole purpose of enabling you to use and enjoy the benefit of the Services as provided by Google, in the manner permitted by the Terms.
Explanation: It’s their house. It’s their rules. You’re just along for the ride – free of charge.
TOS: Google may make changes to the Universal Terms or Additional Terms from time to time. When these changes are made, Google will make a new copy of the Universal Terms available at http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS?hl=en and any new Additional Terms will be made available to you from within, or through, the affected Services.
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TOS: You understand and agree that if you use the Services after the date on which the Universal Terms or Additional Terms have changed, Google will treat your use as acceptance of the updated Universal Terms or Additional Terms.
Explanation: Google can change the TOS whenever they want and very well might from time to time. It’s your responsibility to stay up to date on these changes. If you use Google services after the terms have been changed, you are automatically accepting these changes.
What is “Personal Information”?
According to Google’s Privacy Policy, Personal Information is information that you provide to them which personally identifies you – such as your name, email address or billing information, or other data which can be reasonably linked to such information by Google.
Let’s be real here people. Really, real. I personally am well known on the internet under a few different names – none of which are the legal name presented on my birth certificate. To this specific community, I’m known as Sookie Slafford and while it’s not a name I’ve ever legally signed with, it is in fact my digital pen name and one that I will vocally respond to. But it’s not my real name no matter what way I try to swing it. It’s a pseudonym – a fake name used to represent myself within the Second Life community. It just so happens that I have a strong social presence online using this name (I mean, just look what you get when you Google Me).
I have been using Google services as Sookie Slafford for two years now. I had a profile with them long before it was “cool” to have one. I can honestly say that it sucked when Google suspended my G+ account as it affected my GMail, my main source of communication. I even had to provide Google a telephone number so that they could call me with a verification number I’d need to type in so that I could have my GMail back. It was scary. I was afraid I’d lost a large part of my internet presence in one swoop.
…and yet, Google had every right to do it because I agreed to let them.
I have my G+ account back now. It was in the review stage for about a week. Nothing in the TOS has changed. But fact is, Sookie Slafford is a real name and it’s clearly a name I use in every day life. The proof is in the pudding… err well, in my links anyways. I provide an excellent list of sites across the internet where I use the name Sookie Slafford right there on my G+ profile.
I provide a link to the following… SookieSlafford.com, Jolly Farm Online, 2ndhub.com, ProfileSLive, Linked Prim, Plurk, Twitter, Flickr, & Facebook. And if you really use your avatar’s name, you should be able to provide most of the same list.
I don’t know if Opensource Obscure had such a list nor how long they had an account with Google. My best guess (which doesn’t mean much admittedly) is that Google doesn’t view that as a legitimate, personal name. You wouldn’t call up someone on the telephone and say “Hey Opensource, how ya been?” because it sounds to be the name of a brand or business rather than a personal name. Don’t get me wrong… I think the account should be reinstated. I just see the reasons why Google made the decision to suspend the account.
But here’s the real kicker… all you people who are posting, sharing, re-sharing and bitching about this “identity crisis” thing are really ruining it for the rest of us. Why should I have to feel guilty because XYZ lost their account and I still have mine? I want to enjoy Google+ and the other many Google branded services. My account was already suspended, reviewed and deemed acceptable. I don’t know why. I can only speculate as I have in this post. But stop making it out like me or anyone else who still has their accounts is somehow a bad person.
You want to delete your G+ account in protest? Go for it. You’re just gonna get replaced by hundreds of other people in that same moment.
Let’s Connect!
This is a great post. I think there’s a lot more to the argument over Google’s ToS but the hyper-emotional reaction to this lingering question has gotten wildly out of control. But that’s the internet for you, and also how people will use it. Sensationalism is the news trend of the 21st century and all anybody cares about is how it makes them feel. The emotional impotence is palpable and the bullshit count rises with every “share” button clicked.
In the meantime, I’m still sticking with facebook and 2H. Honestly, once all the crying and moaning is put aside, all I really see leftover is a bunch of animated gifs depicting how much of facebook’s ass G+ kicks. It’s a ridiculous dichotomy. When I go to my facebook tab, it’s light-hearted quipping about serial killers, roofies and baked goods. It’s a much more fun environment.
But let me know if they ever stfu about this.
Awesome post! Its about time someone would talk some sense about it all
I have G+ for my RL-person. As Cats Im blogging and Plurking. RL-me is G+, twitter, blogging, Facebook, goodreads and ravelry. Too much sometimes 
Thanks! I have RL counterparts for most of the links I provided – and then some. It’s important to me that I be able to promote myself one way or another. I look at it this way… Not everyone on Second Life knows me as Kimi Wilson. Not everyone in real life knows me as Sookie Slafford. But the two aren’t mutually exclusive to one another and there’s been plenty of crossover. It just so happens that depending on the type of community and the pool of people I wish to swim among determines which name I am most often addressed as.