OH my, facebook

[MoondancerMilkyWay]

My dog has her own account. I go by an alias...I guess it really depends on if someone reports you or not?

[mlp4me]

Not sure if it's being reported that does it. I never posted inappropriate images or said super offensive-inappropriate things. I'm still blocked out. :o(

[xeevee]

No, I don't think so.  I think they're just slowing going through all the accounts and if the name looks fake they're contacting you.  If you have a fake name like Alice Smith just as an example, they'd probably leave you alone.  All the fake names I've seen who have had to change have been things like Mlp Forme, Mustbe Jewell, Pixi Dixi, Mylittlepony FanWorld.  All very obvious fake names. 


It's also been very slow.  The first person on my list who had to change their name it happened to at least a year ago.  There are a lot of accounts they check.  And now that you've been noticed, they are going to check what you do very closely.  So I am not sure Photoshopping anything will count.  Facebook aren't dumb.

They only thing I would suggest is start a new account with a normal sounding fake name attached to an email that you haven't used.  She how that goes.

[BlackCurtains]

Being reported definitely is part of it. Trans people have normal names but still get locked out of their account and asked to prove it. The reporting is most likely done by a family member.

[ringwraith10]

Being reported definitely is part of it. Trans people have normal names but still get locked out of their account and asked to prove it. The reporting is most likely done by a family member.

What are they reporting, though? Is there some McCarthyist link to click on to report your friends and family members for having the "wrong" name? I just don't understand how or why people would report such a thing...

[mlp4me]

Being reported definitely is part of it. Trans people have normal names but still get locked out of their account and asked to prove it. The reporting is most likely done by a family member.

I had no family members on my account at all. Oh well, I was too obvious, LOL. Come on that name was French!! I've caved and the regular account is getting pony peeps added in. I'm going to go a bit crazy for awhile (not knowing who anyone is on the arena that I've added), but it'll be OK. (Like I do not think I will add in 200 more friends on top of the already existing real life friends/familiy on there.)
Sooooooooo if in fact you want to be my friend and are not a spambot droid out to eat my cheese (I've already added in people that I could remember some may be you already!) you are more than welcome to pm me and I'll send you my FB info. Smiles all around.

[BlackCurtains]

Sorry, I was more or less talking specifically about family members of transfolks.

But yes, anyone can report your profile for a number of things. When you go to the [...] button on the upper right hand side and click 'report' it gives you these choices-

What's wrong with this account?
This person is annoying
This timeline is pretending to be me or someone I know
This timeline is full of inappropriate content
This is a fake account
This profile represents a business or organization
This timeline is using a fake name
This profile is underage and should not be on Facebook

And it doesn't have to be someone even on your friends list. The option of reporting is public.

[Elisto]

I've read this has also been an issue for Native American/First Nations people who's real names include colors or animal names and FB's algorithms pick them up as fake. My understanding is that FB does have some kind of software for identifying potentially fake names, so it's probably a mix of that and others reporting accounts.

[ringwraith10]

Facebook just shouldn't be doing this. People should be allowed to call themselves whatever they want. This whole situation sounds like Facebook is trying to collect all the personal information that they can so that when they take over the world and make us all their Matrix-like slaves they have what they need for their evil plot.

Of course, I'm semi-serious (I'm all serious on the privacy invasion issue) but no one ever listens to me...