The higher regional court in Munich has ruled that Facebook is allowed to prohibit the use of a pseudonym on the social network platform, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports. The court ruled in two cases in favour of Facebook, which had sought the use of genuine names, thereby supporting the so-called real name obligation. Facebook has a legitimate interest in the use of real names in view of now widespread socially harmful behaviour on the internet, the court ruled. The court stated in both judgments that the obligation to use one's real name is likely to deter users from unlawful behaviour online.
Facebook also justified the use of the real name obligation in its terms of use in a similar way. It says that if people stand behind their opinions and actions, the Facebook community is safer and can be held more accountable.
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