As part of the trial, some Facebook users will be able to create up to four additional profiles linked to their original account. The idea is that the additional profiles can be used for different purposes, such as one for friends, one for colleagues and others for use with interest groups and influencers. Users will still have one account, but will be able to switch between profiles with a few clicks.
Profiles will be subject to Facebook's policies and violations on one profile will affect the entire account, according to spokesman Leonard Lam.
“Για να βοηθήσουμε τους χρήστες να προσαρμόσουν την εμπειρία τους με βάση τα ενδιαφέροντα και τις σχέσεις τους, δοκιμάζουμε έναν τρόπο για να έχουν περισσότερα από ένα προφίλ συνδεδεμένα με έναν μόνο λογαριασμό στο Facebook. Όποιος χρησιμοποιεί το Facebook πρέπει να συνεχίσει να ακολουθεί τους κανόνες μας”, αναφέρει ο Lam.
Users who create additional profiles will not have to use their real identity for the name that appears on the profile, Lam says, as long as the name chosen does not violate the platform's policies and does not include numbers or special characters. Facebook's rule that account holders must use the name they use in real life has been a point of contention for years, having sparked several legal actions in Germany.
Facebook's move away from the single profile comes as the platform struggles to retain its users, especially young people, as the popularity of services like TikTok continue to grow. The company saw a drop in daily users for the first time in its history in the fourth quarter of 2021.
