Social Media

English woman changes her name in order to log in to Facebook

Facebook's real name policy is again being criticised.

IMAGE: CORBIS

LONDON — A woman who used a pseudonym on Facebook so that she'd be more difficult to find has changed her name by deed poll to the fake name because she was blocked from accessing her account.

Jemmaroid von Laalaa, who was previously called Jemma Rogers, had been using the made-up name since 2008 so that she could avoid getting friend requests from people she didn't want to befriend on the social network. But that plan backfired when she lost access to her account, according to The Independent.

Under the long-standing real-name policy, Facebook can suspend accounts reported as using a name other than the one listed on that user's birth certificate.

When asked to prove that the name she was using was her real name, von Laalaa, then Rogers, sent a photo of a faked bank card, after which Facebook suspended her account.

Keen to get access to the account, Rogers went a step further and decided to change her name by deed poll so that she could transfer official documents, such as her drivers' licence into her adopted Facebook pseudonym to regain control of the account.

Von Laalaa's account still hasn't been unlocked but she did get an automated message from the social network saying they are looking into it, according to ITV News.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with this stupid name and I still can't get into my Facebook,"

"I can't believe I'm stuck with this stupid name and I still can't get into my Facebook," she said about the situation. "It's hard to speak to a human being as well, all I get is computerised messages back. It's so frustrating."

Facebook's terms of service says "users provide their real names and information, and we need your help to keep it that way."

Last month, a coalition of people called #MyNameIs, including members of the LGBT community, Native Americans and domestic violence survivors, protested outside Facebook's Menlo Park headquarters over its real-name policy.

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Bible Thumper18 hours ago

Facebook has too much power over what people can say or not. Plus, it's as insecure as hell. Plus, the current owner developed it on someone else's dime with stolen data and then stiffed his co-owners. It's a criminal enterprise all round.

Kitwench Ferret21 hours ago

It's so important to her that she changes her name, but she's ok with giving an interview that will be seen by even more people that gives both her old and her new real name?

I hit the Real Name issue, and gave up FB for months - when I finally emailed them a copy of my driver's liscnce it took less than 12 hours for my acccount to be accessable, so I think there's more to this than she's saying.

That said - I do hate the real name policy - it's abusive and can have serious repercussions.

But let's face it - this is a site designed to SELL you to the highest bidder, and users are NOT the clients of this business - they are the product being sold.

It's a choice we all get to make...