The update also broadens support for “established pseudonyms,” such as “Lady Gaga,” which up to this point have just snuck by on a case-by-case basis. There’s now a more uniform process by which a user can appeal if Google flags her or his name. Users can now submit off-site references to an established identity, scanned documentation (like a driver’s license), or a link to an online identity with a “meaningful following.”

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Google says the review process will take “a few days” and may require “further information” for proof. While a name is under review, the old name will still be displayed. There’s more information on the policy in Google’s support forum, and the features will roll out over the next few days.

Google’s initial handling of pseudonyms on Google+ was draconian. Critics argued that a real-names policy endangers politically active users, and that it’s not even how real peoples’ identities work. In response, Google’s Vic Gundotra said in October that Google+ pseudonym support was coming. Today’s addition of “alternate names” at least allows users to display an identity of their choice, but Google will still actively patrol the network to establish users’ identities.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: Violet Blue doesn’t think this update solves the problem at all.

UPDATE 7:13 p.m.: Kevin Marks has captured Google engineer Yonatan Zunger’s explanation of the policy, making clear that Google only cares that the names on Google+ sound real. According to Zunger, Google doesn’t care whether you use your own name, only that it looks like a name to Google’s algorithm. Short online handles are not allowed.

@JonMwords it was never a “Real Names” policy, but “Common Names”, ie your fake names must look American to a bot: j.mp/yl64TJ

— Kevin Marks (@kevinmarks) January 24, 2012

Does this update satisfy the needs of pseudonymous users, or should Google go further? Sound off in the comments.

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But Ink361, formerly known as Inkstagram, has built a few original features on top of Instagram. Today, it launched a map viewer, allowing users to browse a world map displaying geotagged Instagram photos.

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“Ink361.com’s mission is to make discovering photo content easy,” says CEO Carel van Apeldoorn. The Map Viewer is a new way to discover Instagram photos that the core service doesn’t offer.

In September, the site added hashtag albums, enabling topical grouping of photos in a way that isn’t possible on Instagram alone. While Instagram uses hashtags to sort photos, Ink361 allows users to create their own albums and share them as links.

What’s Up With That Name?

I asked van Apeldoorn what the new name was about. “We help you to share your world in 360 degrees and add something extra to that,” he said. I noted that the old name – Inkstagram – was quite similar to Instagram itself, and I asked whether that had anything to do with the change. “The rebranding was not our idea, but based upon an offer we couldn’t refuse ,” was his response.

I asked van Apeldoorn directly whether Instagram asked Inkstagram to change its name. “We had a friendly conversation over this topic that resulted to the rebranding,” he said.

It’s all settled now, and Ink361 has a few features that make it stand out from the rest. Ink361 gets around 220,000 unique visitors per month and has 27,000 followers on Instagram.

Which Instagram Web viewers do you use? Let us know in the comments.

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See, the Zuckerberg formerly known as Guez is an enterprising fellow. He started…

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Why Do Hollywood Writers Keep Giving SEO A Bad Name?
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Yesterday, I saw a few tweets go by noting that the popular show DEXTER on the Showtime network mentioned SEO and said that “Google was so 5 minutes ago” while typing in a fictitious URL: www.elliotsearchengine.com – which supposedly “uses an algorithm …

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The widget displays a +1 button and an ‘Add to circles’ button for the chosen Google+ page. Google+ is joining Facebook and Twitter in providing sidebar widgets for users to promote their social media pages from their own websites. But Google+ badges come with a bonus: they enroll the page in Google+ Direct Connect, so users can find them with a Google search using a +, like “+ReadWriteWeb“.

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In addition to letting page owners promote their Google+ content from their own websites, using the Google+ badge qualifies the page for Google+ Direct Connect, the service that lets users go straight to a Google+ page by searching for “+[name]” on Google.

As of yesterday’s launch, only select partners have access to this new keyword search. Once Google+ badges are available to the public, enrollment in Direct Connect will be a strong incentive for Google to drive adoption of badges.

Don’t forget to add ReadWriteWeb to your Google+ circles.

What do you think of Google+ pages so far?

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“We want to make payments fade away,” said Megan Quinn, director of products for Square. “People don’t appreciate that; they enjoy making a purchase and feeling like a regular at places they shop.”

In his presentation, Jack Dorsey described mobile purchasing as something that should feel “magical,” like a one-click Internet purchase.

Merchant cards can be synced with a business’ Twitter stream. (After all, this is Jack Dorsey’s other start-up.) By integrating business’ Twitter streams into the app, users can see if there are any additional deals or discounts. Users can also tweet at a business with any questions, comments or feedback.

Over 20,000 merchants are catalogued in this directory since it opened to the public in August. Currently, 800,000 merchants have activated Square.

In August, Square updated its app, no longer requiring a signature on purchases under $25. Square launched Square Register, a tool for payment processing and for merchants to organize menus, sales and receipts, in May of this year.

Square is not an NFC. It’s also not a dongle, which turns your smartphone into a credit card reader. This new feature places Square in competition with dongle providers Verifone, Intuit, Erply, ROAMPay, TRUSTe and PayAnywhere.

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ReelSEO Online Video News (blog)

YouTube Signs Up Big Name Talent For New YouTube Partner Channels
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He is also founder of The Viral Orchard (http://www.viralorchard.com), an Internet marketing firm offering content writing and development services, viral marketing consulting, and SEO services. Jeremy writes constantly, loves online video, …

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