[WikiEN-l] Controversial user nicknames

Tue Aug 26 10:55:01 UTC 2003

Dante Alighieri wrote:

> At 09:48 PM 8/25/2003, you wrote:
>
>> How about your real name, a real pseudonym or
>> a fanciful name? If you try and change your name
>> to something offensive, no judge will allow you to
>> do that, but most places allow people to use any name
>> they want without any formalities if the use of that
>> name is not meant to be confusing, misleading or
>> fraudulent. Using a famous name as a pseudonym
>> can be confusing, misleading and/or fraudulent.
>>
>> How about a bright line rule: no historical or actual
>> public figures i.e. "absolute person of contemporary history"?
>> see:
>> http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_rights#Personality_rights_in_Germany 
>>
>>
>> No one should be allowed to use a name that could
>> be considered offensive, misleading or fraudulent,
>> that includes IMHO calling onself Albert Einstein,
>> Beethoven or Blaise Pascal (amongst others).
>> Alex756
>
>
> I'm just curious how my user name could be considered confusing, 
> misleading and/or fraudulent. Since I can't figure out what 
> "contemporary history" means (since you've listed people who have been 
> dead for centuries) I'll just have to assume that my name would be 
> forbidden under your proposal.
>
> Aside from the fact that the historical Dante Alighieri died 682 years 
> ago, I'm sure that I could change my name legally to Dante Alighieri 
> if I so desired. As a matter of fact, I don't suppose there's any way 
> that you could prove that my name /isn't/ legally Dante Alighieri.

I have no complaint about those who want to use these famous names as 
nicknames.  This issue is much ado about nothing.  There is little 
likelihood that such a use would fall into any of the categories of 
offensive, misleading or fraudulent.  No one would for a moment be 
misled into believing that our recent [[User:Saddam Hussein]] was the 
same as the Iraqi leader.  There are likely some who feel offended by 
it, but that is the personal choice of the humourless.  Fraudulent is 
the least likely of the three, given that none of us are in Wikipedia 
for the money.

We have had attempts to be misleading here (as in the Anthere/Anthère 
issue), and a few instances where choices have gone beyond good taste 
(as in User:TMC).  I would wonder if there have been successful actions 
anywhere about the use of pseudonyms on the internet, particularly where 
their use is in relation to the limited circumstances of a particular 
website.  

This issue needs lightening up.

Ec