@benroyce
I would stop posting if I had to publish my real name. There are too many idiots who harass and stalk people with different opinions. My name is too unique, so these people could find me.
And in less friendly environments, I have found that posting under a name that does not reveal that you are a woman is much less stressful.

FCKUFriedrich.

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

@Orlaya @benroyce I'd legally change my name to something like John Smith or whatever there's already a million of within 500 miles.

@Netraven @benroyce
Maybe there is a way to have an artists name like that and use it.

@Orlaya @benroyce

In a perfect world, everyone would change their name to Friedrich Merz.

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

@benroyce
I don't understand how "Real Life" and "Real World" matter so much to these old white guys.

The Internet is REAL.

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

My real name is Ben Royce. I frequently shoot my mouth off on Mastodon. I don't fucking care

That's a luxury many people don't have

Some are trans and live in the USA

Some are in sensitive domestic or work situations

Some are exploring themselves and don't want humiliation or regret following them if they fuck up

Lots of valid reasons for #anonymity

So no Mr. #Merz, that's a stupid idea, fuck off

"#Germany's Merz calls for real names on the Internet"

Germany's Merz calls for real names on the internet

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for an end to widespread anonymity on the internet, saying users should post under their real names. "I want to see real names on the internet.

Yahoo News (www.yahoo.com)

#Deutschland

@benroyce Literally who the fuck even wants this other than Mertz and literal nazis?

@benroyce Real names only? That’s kinda scary. What if I wanna be a secret ninja online? Guess Germany’s not into anonymous fun.

@benroyce nope! Nobody needs to know my name. Well it’s Theodorus…. But who cares about the rest.

@benroyce So smart people of the fediverse -- What's the solution to letting real people be anonymous when they need to be, whilst getting rid of the anonymous bot farms and trolls?

@afewbugs When I was using FB under another pseudonym several years ago, they demanded verification, so I faked a library card that I scanned and had friends send me snailmail addressed to the pseudonym. Worked like a charm. @Tesseks @benroyce

@mfennvt @afewbugs @Tesseks

i know some people are getting around face scans by piping in video of realistic looking video game characters in some game mod where you can manipulate their faces

@benroyce Very cool.
@afewbugs @Tesseks

@benroyce Merz is white as American toast, old as fuck, privileged like few others. For his facilities to empathy, look no further than his CV, which mainly consists of eating snacks in BlackRot meetings while passing around his political address book (while demanding that employees in Germany ought to work more to push the GNP).

No, all these (very valid!) reasons you list simply don't exist in the world of a Friedrich Merz.

(also of note: The anglosaxon world is rather relaxed about name changes, to the point that some Australian state had to add some "not more than once per year and not more than 3 in a life time, if you can help it" restriction. Names are regulated _a lot_ in Germany, from what the parents can choose to what naming combinations can result from marriage to "you better have a _really_ good reason for asking for any non-marriage related name change, and we will fight you every step of the journey".)