Facebook has begun testing an unusual Aadhar-related prompt when new users try to sign up for the service. Instead of just asking people to enter their name, the company is recommending they enter their name as per their Aadhar card to make it easier for their friends to find them.
This message was first spotted and highlighted on Reddit and Twitter. It doesn’t appear for everyone though, so it seems to be a small test. Reactions have been pretty negative, what with the controversy surrounding Aadhar cards and the insistence of the government to link all services to it.
However, it seems this was less of an attempt for Facebook to force individuals to link their Aadhar card and more of it trying to get people to use their real names. There are scores of fake accounts on the site, with little in the way of curbing them.
A Facebook spokesperson told Gadgets 360 that this was a small test which was simply meant to provide additional language to encourage people to use their real name. They claim this was an optional prompt and no one is actually required to enter their name as per their Aadhar details.
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If that’s the case, then it would have made sense to explain this was an optional choice a bit more clearly instead of just telling people to stick to their Aadhar card name. Facebook notably didn’t ask for anyone’s Aadhar card number or other private details, so there probably weren’t any nefarious intentions here.