Facebook Apologizes to Drag Queens, but Politics of Online Identity and Privacy Persist
Two weeks ago, Facebook began suspending the accounts of members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag and community service organization. Members who’d been active on Facebook under their stage names were locked out until they registered with their legal names.
For those members who wanted to keep their stage identities separate from the rest of their lives, at least online, Facebook’s actions threatened to tear down a critical wall of privacy. After attempted discussions with Facebook, a whole lot of media (and social media) attention, and a Change.org campaign that’s collected more than 36,300 signatures, on Wednesday Facebook’s chief product officer Chris Cox apologized to the group.
According to Facebook’s policy, members of Facebook must appear on the social network as they do in real life. In effect, “fake names” are not allowed.
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