William Shatner's Google+ account was shut down after the algorithms flagged his account as fraudulent. Image: Flickr / fugue / CC-BY-SA

Google+ is still in diapers, having been launched only a few weeks ago. Some numbers say that Google+ is clocking in at more than 20 million users already. That explosive of growth is certain to cause a few hiccups, and the news around Google+ points to a few challenges, opportunities to grow and a growing rivalry.

Claiming the authorship of content

Google+ has announced a new feature of its social network and content system that will allow authors to claim their work. This authorship system will allow individuals to mark content as their own, and Google+ will list it on the user’s profile. This is a huge boon to authors and content creators; it will provide a central clearinghouse for building online reputation and authority based on the content you have created.

Google playing business whack-a-mole

Google made it clear that businesses and entities — anything other than individuals — should not yet create Google+ profiles. Ford, Mashable and many other brands have created pages that were shut down. The G+ team has indicated it intends to create a specific “entity experience,” but until then businesses will have to wait.

Google+ Ad on Facebook gets banned

Michael Lee Johnson, a developer and programmer, decided to use his Facebook Ads account to build his Google+ circles. About one hour after his Facebook ad digging for G+ connections was approved, it was pulled. Facebook also blocked Johnson’s ad account, saying his advertising had violated the Facebook terms of service.

William Shatner gets kicked off G+

William Shatner, the actor and celebrity, had his Google+ account flagged and shut down for “violating standards.” The actor’s profile has been re-created, and the working theory is that Google+ originally flagged the account because its algorithms thought his account was an impersonator.

Google+ missing Google search

Google has said time and time again that the Google+ product is still in beta testing. One part of the G+ lineup that has not yet been introduced seems the most logical: search. Several off-site searches of Google+ have popped up, but Google has not yet integrated search into Google+. The company says search will be introduced soon.