Facebook is not only the social network that everyone from your co-workers to your granny is a member of, it’s also a place where users can connect with businesses, celebrities and other high-profile figures. Now, to help users identify the official accounts to ‘like’, Facebook has introduced verification for pages and profiles.
Verified accounts have been a feature of Twitter since June 2008 and are decorated with a white check mark on a blue rosette background – sort of a badge of honour next to the account name.
Facebook’s verification follows the same format, with a white check mark on a Facebook-blue circle next to profile and page names. These icons will also appear in search results, making it easy to find the official account for who or what users are searching for.
Currently, verification is available to a small group of pages with large audiences, but the update will also be rolled out to profiles eventually.
Facebook says it will work proactively to verify pages and profiles and users can report fake accounts if they see someone else has staked a claim on their identity.
