Google+ profile flagged

[asterroc]

Google Plus has flagged my profile for violating their TOS. I only found out by visiting G+. I have until August 23rd to change my name or else they will suspend my profile. My profile page says there's a problem with my name, and I can submit an appeal or submit additional information. Submit additional information is linked to the page everyone's seen where you can submit evidence that it really is your name - links and images are allowed, discussion is not. Submit an appeal is linked to a page that I cannot access because when I click it I am given an "Error saving profile". I submitted feedback on that highlighting the linked text and that error message. In my feedback I included the following.

The Google+ User Content and Conduct Policy says in item 4 not to distribute other people's personal and confidential information. Because my legal name is unique (to the best of my knowledge I am the sole individual in the world with my legal name), it is in and of itself confidential information which should not be distributed.

I am not at this time willing to change my profile name to my first initial and last name (which is what I use for about 50% of my publications and I can provide evidence), though I may change my mind later.

Anyone within Google willing to take this on (since clearly there's no form that I can access for me to argue this myself), or shall I just delete my Google+ account? Or I guess I could doctor my driver's license to only include initials and send that in, since clearly that's worked for other people.

Originally posted on Dreamwidth. comments there. Comment here or there.

Comments

[meig.livejournal.com]

I guess I don't understand the whole uproar. If they want a full name and you don't want to give your real one, make a fake one. If you don't want to make a fake one thinking that people won't find you, email those people you know and tell them, I am so and so on G+.

My opinion is that it's Google's network, if they want a "real/full" name, either give them the name or don't use them. It's not like G+ is something you must use or have or you won't be able to function.