Shane Creepingbear encountered this message when he tried to use his real name on Facebook. Image from Twitter
Facebook deactivated the account of a grandmother from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota because of her Indian last name, ABC News reports. Vienna Elk Looks Back tried to log into the social networking site earlier this month but was locked out because her name wasn't considered authentic. She had it restored after sending in a copy of her photo identification and her Social Security card. "It's very upsetting to me," Elk Looks Back told ABC News. "I feel this is harassment and another form of racism us Native Americans are facing, especially considering there are a lot of actual fake accounts, but here were are being targeted for our real names." Tribal members across the country have been locked out for similar reasons. Some believe they are being singled out for their activism on Indian issues. More than 12,500 people have signed a petition on change.org that urges Facebook to adopt more culturally appropriate policies. Get the Story:
Why some Native Americans say Facebook is biased against them (ABC News 2/13)
Online ‘authenticity’ and how Facebook’s ‘real name’ policy hurts Native Americans (The Washington Post 2/10)
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