Berlin:
Facebook says it won't comply with a German privacy watchdog's demand to let users register with fake names.
The data protection commissioner of Schleswig-Holstein state issued an order on Monday requiring that the social networking site permits pseudonymous accounts.
Thilo Weichert says the California-based company's policy of requiring real names breaches German law and European rules designed to protect free speech online.
Facebook said on Tuesday that the order is "without merit, a waste of German taxpayers' money and we will fight it vigorously."
Weichert says his office can impose a penalty against Facebook if it doesn't comply with the order within two weeks.
Facebook says it has more than 20 million active users in Germany.
The data protection commissioner of Schleswig-Holstein state issued an order on Monday requiring that the social networking site permits pseudonymous accounts.
Thilo Weichert says the California-based company's policy of requiring real names breaches German law and European rules designed to protect free speech online.
Facebook said on Tuesday that the order is "without merit, a waste of German taxpayers' money and we will fight it vigorously."
Weichert says his office can impose a penalty against Facebook if it doesn't comply with the order within two weeks.
Facebook says it has more than 20 million active users in Germany.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
