I hope that OP isn't seriously suggesting that “discrimination” was a factor, it’s too serious an accusation to be thrown around so carelessly.
There are enough past incidents of “unusual” names being erroneously flagged to suggest it's no about irrational human discrimination but about imperfect mostly automated processes.
The policy is about using “real names”, the automated system was obviously tripped and the appeals fell through, imperfect systems don’t imply malice.
Seeing that eventually the issue was resolved and I assume they’ll be more mindful of native American names from now on, is there really a need for name calling and further escalation?
... but they can still discriminate. In some jurisdictions, such as the UK, intention or malice is not required. If Google has a policy or system that disadvantages a group of people who share a protected characteristic, it is discriminating. This is defined in law.
Notice how that article uses the term "indirect discrimination", rather than just "discrimination"? That qualifier is there because without it, most people understand "discrimination" to mean intentional prejudice.
Well, racism is actually common; it's a fundamental part of the culture. Something which needs to be chipped away. Racism isn't just about some people wearing white hoods.
Not to make a statement about your racial category (because I don't know it), but more privileged people irrationally fear claims of racism because it's one of the few ways they feel vaguely limited. (Of course, the minor social consequences they fear are nothing in comparison to less privileged groups who are regularly imprisoned/invaded/starved.)
They need to be called out on it. There was one BuzzFeed article, which I couldn't submit because it automatically gets killed by HN (fair enough). So I wrote a blog, expressing my opinion then submitted it to HN.
I hope that someone from Google is reading and takes note of this. The Real Names policy has actively discriminated against many people in the past. They were meant to sort this out, but they have not. It behooves Google, who want real names, to accept real names. And to understand that even if the names are a little strange, they are all too often actually real names.
I once heard of a couple in Kent who called their child "Depressed Cupboard Cheesecake". The point being is that there are a number of oddball names out there. How is Google going to tell what is fake and what is not fake?
There are enough past incidents of “unusual” names being erroneously flagged to suggest it's no about irrational human discrimination but about imperfect mostly automated processes.
The policy is about using “real names”, the automated system was obviously tripped and the appeals fell through, imperfect systems don’t imply malice.
Seeing that eventually the issue was resolved and I assume they’ll be more mindful of native American names from now on, is there really a need for name calling and further escalation?