Facebook has previously come under fire for its 'real name' policy, which requires users to use their legal names in the social networking site. Some users have reported blocked accounts as they preferred nicknames and aliases for their online identity on Facebook. In June, the social network faced criticisms from the LGBT community because of the policy in question.
Now, Facebook has confirmed that it will be making some important changes in its real name policy. Engadget has reported that Facebook VP Alex Schultz has written a letter outlining how the company plans to improve its policy. The policy has been misused by trolls, which turn some names into memes, resulting to the harassment of Native Americans and transgenders.
Schultz wrote the letter in response to an open letter from the Electronic Frontier Foundation regarding the policy. Schultz said that the concerns are understood, and that Facebook will be changing its policy to address the surrounding issues. For one, users will now be able to provide more context about their chosen names in the social networking site.
"This should help our Community Operations team better understand the situation. It will also help us better understand the reasons why people can't currently confirm their name, informing potential changes we make in the future," Schultz said about the policy change.
Schultz clarified that Facebook does not exactly require the use of legal names which the users have been born with, but rather, it asks that names which they are known by their families and friends be used in the social platform. Nevertheless, by making some important changes, the network seeks to be more sensitive to cultural differences and needs.
Facebook is the largest social networking site in the world, having over 1.5 billion monthly active users. Despite garnering flak from the LGBT community regarding the policy, Facebook has reported that more and more Americans have been using the platform to express their sexual preference and gender. Facebook is advocating diversity in its workforce while also coming up with a new tech hub that seeks to bring other races closer to working in the tech industry.
