Fake Name or Alter Ego? Facebook allowing users to create “additional profiles”

While this seems to have launched in the US a few months ago, it appears Facebook’s multiple profile option is rolling out in Australia with several readers pointing out they’ve had notifications within Facebook that they are now able to create additional profiles with a new name.

Sold as a way to curate your following or friends list based on your interests, the idea according to Facebook is that “Sometimes separate is simpler, so we’re making it easier to customize your experience on Facebook with multiple personal profiles. Whether you’re new to Facebook or a longtime user, you may want to keep your personal and professional relationships separate, or you may want to keep one profile tied to a community you’re a part of and another profile just for friends.”

That’s all well and good, but it very clearly also allows you to create an all-new profile with an all-new name.

Now, not that we’re suggesting everyone has malicious intent, but you can now join your local community Facebook group with a whole new name and wreak havoc with your opinion without fear of incrimination.

We’ve tested this tonight, with one of our diligent Moderators Rob Rigby creating a new alternate profile under the name of one of our other Moderators Robert Howie, and the profile not only looks legitimate, it appears to have the same account age as the original user account.

Call me cautious, but this worries me a bit, so we’ll have to wait and see how it’s utilised by Aussie Facebook account holders.