Facebook confirms giving Aadhaar prompt for new users aimed at checking fake accounts

Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks on stage during the annual Facebook F8 developers conference in San Jose, California, U.S., April 18, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam - RTS12TF3

Facebook has started to test a new feature for new Indian users aimed at encouraging them to enter the site using their real names. The new feature on the popular social media site is aimed at bringing a check on the rising number of fake accounts.

As per a report in the Gadgets360, the new test feature which is not mandatory asks new users signing up for an account by giving their original name. The prompt comes up and asks for 'name as per Aadhaar’ whenever a user tries to open an account.

The prompts, posted by users on different sites read, "What's your name? Using the name on your Aadhaar card makes it easier for friends to recognise you."

Just what you need @facebook wants you to enter your name as exactly in your #Aadhaar card.https://t.co/qkOCfYf6eE pic.twitter.com/9nrszl5rsb

— Srinivas Kodali | శ్రీనివాస్ కొడాలి (@digitaldutta) December 26, 2017

However, according to reports, not everyone attempting to open an account is receiving this prompt. Only a small section of users who are trying to open an account using smartphones are receiving the prompts.

"We want to make sure people can use the names they're known by on Facebook, and can easily connect with friends and family. This is a small test where we provide additional language when people sign up for an account to say that using the name on their Aadhaar card makes it easier for friends to recognise them. This is an optional prompt which we are testing, people are not required to enter the name on their Aadhaar card," a spokesperson from Facebook was quoted saying in the report. Further, besides the name, no other private details are asked from the customer.

The new feature that targets the Indian market highlights the importance it holds for the social networking giant. With nearly a quarter of a billion users, India has the largest number of Facebook users in the world as a country. With the ever-increasing pool of internet users, the country is a major market for Facebook and will play a big role in the growth of the site.