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From the same comment (no way to link to it directly): "The other case is people such as +trench coat, who are so well-known under this handle that it would be
by ElbertF 15y ago
From the same comment (no way to link to it directly):
"The other case is people such as +trench coat, who are so well-known under this handle that it would be bizarre not to let them onto the system under this name. For this case, we allow appeals based on being well-known under the name: thus the ability to prove the 'established pseudonym.'"
- grandfathered 15y agoThis is not really sufficient. Anyone who does not have an established handle needs to spend a year or so acquiring a following under some other services in order to be good enough for Google Plus. Consider, for example, kids who want to create their first pseudonym. This kind of policy very much pushes them toward using their real names, arguably at the time in their life when it is worst to do so.
- marshray 15y agoThis is incorrect. If they find out you're a kid trying to be safe online, they'll help you out by summarily deleting your account. Problem solved!
- raldi 15y ago...as mandated by law.
- lreeves 15y agoWhich law? I'm not American so I'm not familiar with this. But there's certainly plenty of kids on other sites that are used for communications, so what makes Google delete kids' accounts?
- raldi 15y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Online_Privacy_Protection_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Online_Privacy_Pro... The tldr is that it's a notoriously difficult law to comply with unless (1) your site has limited userbase or functionality, or (2) you delete children's accounts on sight.
- lreeves 15y agoHoly shit. You'd think someone at Google would be evaluating hosting mail in a datacenter outside the US, at least for the accounts in question.
- dmoy 15y agoI haven't read through COPPA, but I believe that Google, as a US company, has to abide by COPPA restrictions, regardless of where they're storing data. (It might even apply to non-US users...) As the user above pointed out, COPPA is really, really hard to 'get around.' Some verification / disproving would be welcome.
- babblefrog 15y agoI've always been confused by this. Does "as a US company" mean that it's HQ is in the US? Or that it is incorporated in the US? Or just that it does business in the US?
- utunga 15y agoActually that's not mandated by law at all. What is in the law is an onus of responsiblity on service providers like Google to protect people under 13. So the response of Google/Facebook etc.. simply make it part of their terms that children cannot use their services - and will be summarily deleted if they do. (Google policy not 'the law'). Net result is parents help their kids online by showing them how to lie about their age. Google's ass remains covered but they are not able to actually protect kids because they don't know their ages. Not good enough by any stretch.
- raldi 15y agoSo which of the following obstacles should Google place as a sign-up barrier in front of every new user on any of its services? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Online_Privacy_Protection_Act#Complying http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Online_Privacy_Pro...
- protomyth 15y agoWhat are they basing the well known part? If it is only online or celebrities then I think it is still problematic.