I don't usually rant, but this one upsets me.

Facebook, I am disappointed in you. Right now, I don't "like" you. But I know that you're trying to fix things, and for that I respect you.

A dear friend of mine was told that she was not allowed use her name as her Facebook name. All because someone reported her. This is absurd, and offensive. This is our space, our bodies, our names. The pages we like, the music we listened to, and the sports we played all helped define who we were, just like our name helps define our identity. We can choose what movies represent our taste, but we can't choose what name represents ourselves? Facebook has decided that it can mandate controls in an environment built to share and connect with the things and people we love.

You don't have my birth certificate, (unless, somehow, you do, which would be another problem altogether), so don't claim to know what my name is or isn't. Don't force your norms onto me, or onto anyone else, for that matter. Asking for legal documentation to prove that my name is legitimate? You're a for-profit website, not a government agency, I don't think you should really require something like this. And even if it wasn't a legal name, what should a nickname matter to you anyway?

Now I know that users have to report people in order for this to be an issue. But why does there have to be a "real name" requirement? If it's not synonymous with your legal name, then what even is it? And why are you believing another person's word over mine? (Listen, I get that $hiperdoodle Maximus III is what you're trying to prevent, but people need to understand that identity is pretty fluid.)

Cyberbullying is definitely a thing, and I understand that a "real name" creates accountability for your actions.If anything, the only thing I can think of in my limited experience would be to have your "real name" expressly visible to Facebook only, so that if there are any reports of cyberbullying, accountability still ends up on the right person.

This is unacceptable. It's my name, Facebook , and you don't get to decide what people get to call me. (Oh and that little parenthetical spot for me to put a nickname? Not cutting it.)

I've continued to read up on this after my initial shock, and I see Facebook working to make this right. And that's good. All I hope is that change will come, and that people will get their names back.