Commentator Michael Anti says his Facebook account has been suspended while Mark Zuckerberg's puppy is allowed a page.
Photograph: Christian Alminana/WireImage.com
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, whose dog Beast has a page on the site. Chinese blogger Michael Anti has been barred for using a pseudonym.
A well-known Chinese commentator has accused Facebook of insulting him by closing his account on the grounds he uses a pseudonym, while hosting a page for founder Mark Zuckerberg's puppy.
Michael Anti said he was disappointed and angry at the decision. Facebook told him it required people to use their real names.
But the writer, born Zhao Jing, has used Michael Anti for more than a decade and says even Chinese friends know him as An Ti.
"It's insulting. They think my academic and journalistic work is less real than Zuckerberg's dog?" he asked. "I have lost more than a thousand contacts overseas … It is part of my life."
He added: "It's deja vu, because in 2005 Microsoft removed my blog."
That decision, which followed pressure from Chinese officials, made headlines around the world. But Anti said he did not regard the current problem with Facebook as political. "This time it is a war against stupidity," he said.
He said there was a long tradition of Chinese writers adopting other names as their professional identity. Not only that, but most Chinese people pick English names during their high school language lessons and use them for dealings with foreigners.
"It's not a 'fake' name, but a professional name in the English-speaking world … If the real name policy really applies in China, you will destroy the accounts of at least half the people. It's ridiculous," he said.
Anti said he sent the company a certificate from Harvard University – where he completed a fellowship – as evidence that he was widely known by that name. Facebook told him that he needed to use the name on his government identity card.
The commentator said he does not understand why he has been singled out when many more Facebook users are not using their legal names, but suspects someone reported him.
The site allows users to report other members who they believe are violating the terms of use, including by using a false identity. Facebook staff then look at the reports and decide whether to act on them.
A Facebook spokesperson said the website does not comment on individual accounts, but said it believes a "real name culture" creates more accountability and a safer and more trusted environment.
"We fundamentally believe this leads to greater accountability and a safer and more trusted environment for people who use the service. This view point has been developed by our own research and in consultation with a number of safety and child protection experts," the spokesperson said.
Zuckerberg recently set up a page for his dog Beast, including photographs and details such as his personal interests ("cuddling, loving, eating"). But because it is a kind of fan page – usually used by celebrities and businesses – rather than a personal profile, the real name rules do not apply.
The clash comes amid increasing speculation about Zuckerberg's ambitions on the mainland. The site is currently blocked by censors, like many western social media.
The Facebook founder said his trip to China in December was personal. But he was photographed meeting the boss of the search giant Baidu and earlier last year he asked a conference: "How can you connect the whole world if you leave out a billion people?
"Our theory is that if we can show that we as a western company can succeed in a place where no other country has, then we can start to figure out the right partnerships we would need to succeed in China on our terms."
©guardian.co.uk
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