Google+ pseudonym accounts: You have four days until suspension

Anyone using a pseudonym instead of their real name on Google+ is now at risk of account suspension, the company announced today.

In the past few weeks, there has been much debate about Google’s Real Name Policy, with some calling it revolutionary and others labeling it an abuse of power.

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The suspension measure is aimed at cutting down on spam, according to the company. But, ensuring that the majority of those accounts are real, living, breathing human beings also makes it a far more effective advertising platform. It also raises questions about the added privacy concerns associated with storing personal information on a platform designed to share with various social circles.

In response to the feedback, Google has announced that accounts currently using a pseudonym or nickname won’t be immediately suspended.

“We’re listening, learning and iterating to give our users the best experience possible. Starting today, if we find that your profile name does not adhere to our policy, we’ll give you a 4 day grace period to fix your profile name before we take further action,” said Google+ project manager Saurabh Sharma in a note posted on Google+ yesterday. “During this period, you can continue to use Google+ as usual. We’re hoping that most affected users will be able to quickly fix their profile name while continuing to enjoy all that Google+ has to offer.”

We’ve also embedded Sharma’s video response below.

Do you use a pseudonym or nickname across the web? Tell us your thoughts on switching to your real name in the comments.