We often talk about how the major social networks are getting more and more like one another. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ seem to all borrow ideas from their social network peers. Now, Facebook is taking a page out of the Twitter/Google+ book, and launching verified accounts and pseudonyms.
We know how Facebook feels about accountability and anonymity, so it’s no surprise that the pseudonyms are only for those with verified accounts, which are those with a lot of followers. In other words, we’re dealing with people who are well known. Presumably, Facebook’s pseudonyms would allow, for example, Sean Combs to go by Puff Daddy, P Diddy, or P Dangle if he chooses. Either way, you know who you’re dealing with.
TechCrunch reports that this functionality is being made available to applicable accounts today. They’re receiving a message that says:
“When you verify your account with a valid ID, you’ll appear more frequently in the people to subscribe to list. You’ll also have the option to show an alternate name more prominently on Facebook. This makes it easier for subscribers to find and connect with you.”
Marilyn Monroe was recently honored with a verified account on Twitter. This is the account for the Marilyn Monroe estate. Twitter of course, is a different animal. Facebook has Pages and Profiles, so we may not see an actual “verified account” for that on Facebook.
