From what I understand, users have a username and a "real name" linked to their accounts. The real name, though, does not have to be the same name linked to the credit card used (eg., a parent uses a card for their child, who inputs their own "real name"). But couldn't the real name just be a faked name? Are there statistics to how many people actually put their real name?
Alex --- Alexander Leavitt Researcher Convergence Culture Consortium (Comparative Media Studies, MIT) Microsoft New England Research & Development http://doalchemy.org Twitter: @alexleavitt On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 11:59 AM, live <human.factor.one@gmail.com> wrote:
For those who are researching interactions within gaming environment, or even just internet social anonymity or gender anonymity, this is a big deal. http://kotaku.com/5580585/blizzard-forums-will-soon-display-your-real-name
Privacy issues arise, as do gender interaction issues. Would you let in a female player in to your guild in WoW? What if they were a 'female' playing with a male avatar? What about a 'male' name playing with a female avatar? These games are built on guilds and social formations - what impact might this new change have?
I must curtail my thoughts and come back later to explore this, but I thought I'd share the Kotaku post.
-SharonG
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/