Facebook has over 800 million users and that makes it a great database for identity. Facebook only recently allowed ‘subscriptions’ which allow users to follow public updates from another person. This is the reason famous people did not figure on Facebook much (though this did drive interest in Fan Pages on Facebook).
As reported by TechCrunch, Facebook will soon verify accounts much like Google+ or Twitter does. This is probably a way to get famous people enticed into using Facebook more publicly. This will allow celebrities to show their screen names and real names will not be required.
The real name will still be displayed in the about section, which might defeat the purpose. A point to be noted is that there will be no verified sign like Twitter and Google+ has on profiles.
Twitter is still the place were famous writers, actors, sportsperson tend to connect with fans. The verified sign, next to a Twitter account gives users a signal that this is a real account and not a fake one. Google+ has also introduced something similar.
Facebook’s tryst with real names
Facebook has a somewhat of a chequered past regarding users being allowed only real names. Facebook allowed special characters in real names on profiles. It then banned the use of special charachters. It also has a big list of banned words, that are not allowed to be used in real names. That in the past has led to inadvertent deletion of accounts because the real name of the person were included in the banned list.
I have read more than a couple of times that Facebook has gone about trying to woo celebrities to adopt it. But it might end up doing something like Google+ where celebrities signed up but hardly updated their accounts after a while and stuck to Twitter to connect with friends.
What do you think? Will verified accounts on Facebook make you subscribe to more people? Do drop in your comments.
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