Cargo culting at its finest. Google is really smart about a lot of different things, but they know fuck-all about social. They were just going through the motions.

Facebook's lesson to Google should have been one of caution for forcing real names since Facebook is pathetic at telling if a name is real or not. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/16/facebook-r...

Once again, if your verification of real names excludes a whole group's conventions, you have failed hard.

Real Names policy was the brainchild of a 40-yr-old multi-millionare who was an expert in cultivating his personal brand and image, and knows not donsay anythig embarrassing online.

Why would you care to use Google+ in any other way, he thought.

Yeah they forgot that people only used real names on Facebook because it was extremely private (only people in your university could see you). Google+ on the other hand is full of public actions - Youtube comments, app reviews, etc.