Topic
Request for help - Google+ Policy
We are a vast and varied lot the population of Ur, so I am hoping that one (or more lol) of my fellow Glitchen may be of assistance.
I have started a Google+ space using the name Diamond Dogs about a week ago. Google have reviewed my profile and states that the name chosen does not comply with their naming conventions. It could be that it is because they see it as a pseudonym. If that is the case then there could be more of us facing the same problem, as on a daily basis I see an increasing number of Glitch setting up G+ new spaces. For the most part many of those names appear to be assumed (and some highly wonderful and creative ones at that.).
I can apparently apply for an appeal of their decision, so that is the first thing I would like help with. Because for the life of me I cannot figure out to do that (I know silly miner - lol).
However, I think it may be worth having discussions with Google regarding their policy, so that Glitchen that are inclined to, are able to have a safe space outside of the enclosed environment of Glitch.
So, if any of you out there works for Google or knows of someone inside Google that could help please post here and let me know.
I am willing to discuss this with whoever via email or IM's. If you would prefer face to face discussion or would just prefer dealing with an Earth individual I can put you in touch with my dear Earth friend who has a deep systems background and with whom I initially asked for help on this. (Unfortunately he has no contacts in Google).
Thank you for your time. :)
dmnddgs
Replies
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Nymwars have been around since the beginning of G+ (and only recently showed any signs of letting up...sort of). I'm not sure if Glitchen requests can have much of an impact. The 'appeal' function in my very vague experience seems to be either if it's incorrect (ie someone whose name was ACTUALLY Vergilius Maro, etc) or those whose identity if revealed could result in their physical danger or death (not quite sure on that either). I'm not sure your situation fits. Unless your real name is actually Diamond Dogs.
Alternatively you could just try putting your real name instead, like a lot of people on here, and then just say your game/rp name is dmnddgs so people from here know who you are.
edit: Slightly related - at least in the opensource/hacker circles I'm familiar with, people respect you a lot more when you're willing to put your real name up and be googled for your history/show you've nothing to hide.. but I digress. -
As one of the early victims of the nymwars, I'd guess that unless your username sounds like a nice American name, or if you have government ID you can fax to them to show why you're not using a nice American name, you won't have any luck.
I am a forum guide on Google, and they forced me, in spite of a stalker, to use my real name. They aren't likely to think that my Glitch name is somehow better than my forum name on Google.
Digression for Lara: I had used the same forum handle for years, and was selected to be a guide by Google. Apparently not using a government-id name didn't create a problem for my credibility until this policy was enacted last spring. - @WindBorn Google is funny :P Did that coincide with the beginning of G+? Can't remember these days.
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Thank you both for your considered replies. I wish to present you with an idea my IRL dear friend and I talked about when I first posted about the problem. I am really interested in your thoughts on this.
Glitch, or more accurately the version of it we know as Ur, is a funny old world. But it is a world nevertheless. What we call IRL is, obviously, also a world. Perhaps the issue we are really talking about here is the notion of worlds colliding. Now, obviously I am not intimately familiar with how Google designed the data structures, objects and relationships between same, but it occurs to me that maybe there is a way around the colliding worlds problem.
What if alongside the IRL Google+ space, there existed an alternative Google Glitch+ space, or in fact, any other alternative space (actually why don't we call them Alt Google+ spaces). What I believe you could do then is define the rules of interaction between the IRL Google+ space and the Alt Google+ spaces. The most strict rule would be that the Alt Google+ space cannot interact with IRL space in other than say read only mode.
I believe my friend's idea has merit and I will say he offers it freely because we are on a somewhat public forum here. However, as his advocate, if Google should decide to implement this idea I would like my friend to receive some form of acknowledgement. I will taking a hard copy print of this post to pass on to my friend (he does not wish to signup here for the moment).
Thanks again for your consideration. :) -
Sorry for bumping this again, but just for information I submitted a review request for the violation which is now in process. The standard reply is that I will continue to be allowed access to G+ services until the review is complete and then it is "carry on, or get off the bus".
A rather interesting comment was published on my second post. I created a reply to that, but am not allowed to post it. Am I still doing something wrong I wonder? A more accurate reflection of I feel right now is "I don't understand this sh*t at all" from a Sex Pistols song. Although I am from a humble mining background, maybe "i is jus dum miner". -
I didn't see this thread before, but I encountered the same problem. I was eventually able to keep my name, because I changed it from Victoria in Glitch to Victoria Glitch. But I guess I'm lucky my nickname here is a regular name. I'm afraid you'll have to choose a new name for G+. Apparently "Glitch" is acceptable as a last name and I know of 2 people who use "Barfield" as a last name.
ETA: I posted my correspondence with Google here (http://www.glitch.com/forum/general/5399/)