Libya: Activists ask Facebook for anonymity

In order to organize their movement and reach the masses on the web, they prefer to use the world's largest social network - where accessible. However, since the wave of protests that started in Egypt also spread to Libya, they have been increasingly confronted with violence. For fear of political persecution, users are asking to maintain their anonymity on the network, according to the press release. Facebook's rules only allow users to use the platform if they reveal their true identity. They are therefore calling on the portal to "Unfriend the dictators!".

So far, Facebook has exercised restraint in its role as a protest network. The operators of the community are wary of taking sides, especially in situations of political conflict. Under the leadership of the "global movement for digital freedom"
Access Now  However, the protesters are asking Facebook to reconsider its own guidelines - possibly in order to protect lives. They want access to the portal without having to provide an identity, which is in gross contradiction to Facebook's previous user policy.

The activists around Access Now assume that supporters of the democracy movement in the crisis regions could be targeted by autocratic governments due to the existing Facebook rules.