Facebook embracing pseudonyms, verified accounts and Timeline brands

Facebook is rolling out a new system to verify user accounts that will allow some users to use nicknames. Since Facebook at its core is looking for your personal information, it has always wanted you to use your real name unless you're a big star such as Lady Gaga. Facebook is positioning this account verification as a way to ensure that people don't subscribe to an imposter who might be trying to impersonate someone on Facebook.

By verifying an account, the users will get more prominent placement in the Facebook "People to Subscribe to" suggestions. Techcrunch reports that starting today people with many subscribers will start being notified of the option to verify their account by uploading their government supplied ID. The person's real name, if they go by a pseudonym, will still be listed on the about page. Apparently, each verified account will be processed by hand.

While Google is working on allowing the use of pseudonyms, it's also set to release timeline for brands this month. I wonder if timeline will go over better for brands that it has with your average Facebook user. The timeline for brands pages will be consistent with the look and feel of timeline for individual users, but it won't be an exact copy. One specific difference will be the tabs in apps used on corporate Facebook pages for polls and to sell products will turn into boxes on the brand's timeline.