According to the New York Times, Facebook (News - Alert) is currently working on a mobile app that would allow users to interact using pseudonyms. The social media company did not confirm such an app was under development there, but recent events suggest that it’s likely.

If Facebook was truly developing an app that allowed users to operate with anonymity, it would be another concession the company has made after deciding to enforce a policy requiring users to use real names.

When signing up for a new account on Facebook.com, the site uses an algorithm that evaluates if a name appears to be authentic or not. It will block creation of a new account if the first and last names don’t pass the algorithm’s test. Passing the test does not mean a user is home free. Facebook has suspended accounts that may have passed the algorithm’s test but were detected afterwards.

A controversy recently erupted after Facebook suspended the accounts of several users for having what appeared to be false names. Many of these users were from the LGBT community, who were drag performers known by their stage names or others concerned about their safety if they come out. CNN cited one example of a user who wanted to use his 29-character Hawaiian name, but got flagged because Facebook thought the name was not real.

Many of the LGBT users unhappy with Facebook made the switch to a new startup site called Ello that allows pseudonyms and for now at least, does not sell user information to advertisers. Ello is a site that is invite only, although the rate of acceptance for invite requests appears to be pretty high. At one point the site had 40,000 people per hour joining.

Facebook’s recent actions speak louder than its public statements about authentic names or lack of statements about a new app. Many of the previously mentioned accounts have been restored. If the company is not working on an app that allows anonymous interactions, why did it buy Branch, a company that facilitates invite-only conversations and hire co-founder Josh Miller? Too many things fit the ‘if it walks like a duck’ test for Facebook to not be up to something.


Edited by Maurice Nagle