What to Facebook is a 'fake name' may be the expression of your authentic self

Some online companies insist on 'real names' but there are good reasons why users - especially the vulnerable - might prefer not to use their legal identity

"On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog." Thus reads the caption of a now-infamous cartoon by Peter Steiner in the New Yorker, capturing the zeitgeist of the early internet.

This culture of relative anonymity led to the feeling, for many, that what took place online was somehow separate from reality. Online, you could use any name you wanted. You may have been a suit-wearing investment banker, but online, you could dabble in erotic fiction, or join a community for tattoo enthusiasts.

"All of these communities and cultures [that have experienced malicious reporting] have a history of being suppressed. We've all had to fight against homophobia, racism, and prejudice and discrimination. To me it is obvious that people are maliciously pinpointing entire groups of people that they feel are undesirable, morally corrupt, or live lives in opposition to their religious beliefs. They'd like to see us disappear, and unfortunately, as Facebook's current policy stands, it is happening."