The Feed is Digiday’s Web-culture corner. Check The Feed everyday for Web-culture news roundups, infographics, essays and more. Follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the day on Twitter @digiday.
Google Plus OK’s Pseudonyms: Google has finally reversed its strict real-name policy. According to Google, the real-name policy was an effort to make “connecting with people on the Web more like connecting with people in the real world”; but the fact is, the Web isn’t the real world, and there are very many reasons why people may prefer to use pseudonyms online, like privacy and personal safety for starters. Also, no one wants to feel like they are being forced into something without being given any options (see Danah Boyd’s post “Real Names” Policies Are an Abuse of Power”). People should have a say in their online identities, so this is definitely a step in the right direction for Google Plus. The Daily Dot
Zuck the Diva: The portrait of the Facebook king just keeps getting more and more peculiar; from engineer courtship walks to killing his own dinner, the Zuck now has a bodyguard. According to Gawker, he also has an email ghostwriter, and he just purchased a new Palo Alto mansion. Sounds like someone is turning into a tech diva. Gawker
Video of the Day: “Full House” theme in an awesome a capella version. Wow, John Stamos hasn’t aged at all, Maybe it’s all that Oikos Greek yogurt. BuzzFeed
Tumblr of the Day: New Yorker cartoon captions that wouldn’t quite make it into the New Yorker. The Monkeys You Ordered
Tweet of the Day: It’s Hammer time: MC Hammer is now a tech entrepreneur. HappyPlace
More in Media
Why 1440 is evolving from a newsletter company to a destination of explainers
Newsletter company 1440 is expanding beyond email by building an online library of explainers, amid the rise of AI-driven search.
Publisher alliance Ozone makes a larger play for U.S. advertisers
Publisher alliance Ozone is on a growth tear in the US and plans to expand its local headcount to 50 people next year.
Media Briefing: From blocking to licensing, publishers inch toward leverage with AI
There are new levers for publishers to test in the AI era. While they’re still far from holding the upper hand, compared to a year ago, the outlook no longer looks quite so bleak.