Google added over 10 million people to its social network in under a month, now it seems they are looking to reverse that growth in less than a week. What on earth is happening?
Reports from several sources, including irate users, are suggesting that Google is deleting accounts en-masse. No-one seems to be clear on what’s causing the mass deletions but early indications are that Google is none too happy with ‘fake names’.
Google apparently wants Google+ accounts to reflect real people, not some dreamed-up, fictionalized version of you. This requirement isn’t entirely unreasonable; after all, Facebook doesn’t like fake names either. But Google and Google+ have one very unique problem, and it takes the form of the millions of Gmail accounts out there that are registered under fake names. Thankfully my Google+ invite came through to my personal (and real) Gmail account, but it could easily have come to one of the countless fake Gmail accounts I own (sorry Google).
This proliferation of fake name Gmail accounts perhaps accounts for the inflated Google+ stats—something that is bound to make Google red in the face.
For now only people that can be considered ‘real’, i.e. well known are having their accounts reinstated. If you found yourself a casualty of Google’s delete button, and happen to be a ‘regular Joe’ or ‘regular Jane’, the word on the digital street is to wait things out. Hopefully after Google sifts out the pretenders, the genuine users can have their accounts reinstated.
Watch the video below to see more on Google+ and the rapid growth it’s enjoyed so far.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC_M6PzXS9g
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