chfn doesn't allow me to change my name

Bug #1343488 reported by Aminda Suomalainen
12
This bug affects 3 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
shadow (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

I have shell access to some systems where I am not root. I am trans woman and I legally changed my name in March and noticed that some systems are still showing my old name.

I then tried to fix it by running `chfn` which helpfully automatically filled my old name and went to next field, "room number". I couldn't find reason for this from quick google search nor the manual page. <Sorry for this part, I was angry and didn't think that this could be found offensive.>

UPDATE: I tried this on both systems, remote and local with same result.

UPDATE2: FreeBSD allows changing all details with chsh including name. I also tested with OS X which allows it too.

UPDATE3: Removing of CoC referral

> IMO it's not a completely bad idea to not allow changing that by default because it might be used to identify people if you know them IRL or on IRC or something and they use a different name there

This shouldn't be done, there should be a separate database for user information which has nothing to do with the system. What if you lose your passwd file?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: passwd 1:4.1.5.1-1ubuntu9
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.47-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: LXDE
Date: Thu Jul 17 21:33:53 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-04 (74 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Lubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.2)
SourcePackage: shadow
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

Revision history for this message
Aminda Suomalainen (mikaela) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in shadow (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Aminda Suomalainen (mikaela) wrote :

This should be duplicate of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow/+bug/1343489 as I never noticed there were two reports opened and all comments were written to that bug. I copy-pate updated the description on this as I regret my original "avautuminen" on both.

description: updated
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