Facebook accuses UK politician of impersonating himself

One of Facebook's distinguishing factors from other social networks is that it requires users to sign-up under their real and full name. Failure to do so will result in a user's account being terminated. Webb, however, broke no such rule.

Upon finding himself locked out of Facebook, Webb wrote on his blog:

I have an identity crisis.

I had a message yesterday from Facebook to say that my account had been disabled. The standard online message says this is either for a serious of small misdemeanours or one 'egregious' breach of the rules. I had no idea what I might have done, so I messaged them to query and have been told that my site is a fake and that it is a breach of their rules not to give a genuine first name and last name. They say that their decision is final and that my account will not be re-activated!

Given that I've been one of the main evangelists for Facebook at Westminster, this is, to say the least, frustrating. Also, the thought of starting again and re-contacting my 2,500+ friends doesn't thrill me...

So how do you overturn such a decision when Facebook proudly boasts its undemocratic principles saying that the "decision is final" and that the account will not be re-activated?

Start a Facebook group of course! Which is exactly what Webb did.

The "Steve Webb is real!" Facebook group was formed, while "he and others then contacted anyone they knew who worked at the site to see if they could get the ban overturned".

Thirty six hours later, Webb's account was reinstated leaving him free to poke his constituents and make Pirates of his political opponents once again.