Beware of Facebook!

*Update: Facebook has now restored my access. I suspect it has something to do with the BBB complaint I filed. Not sure, though. Thanks everyone for your support :) *

I just want to let you know that if you have a Facebook page, you should be careful about what you do on your personal Facebook account.

Why? Well, because if Facebook blocks your personal account, you will have no access to your business page, the page you put in so much work to get likes and followers for. Not to mention the loss of Facebook advertising.

Wait a minute, Ben! Why would Facebook block my account?

Well, Facebook has this really controversial policy where you must use your real name. They also want you to friend only people you know in real life.

Facebook's rational is that they want to prevent online bullying. However, their algorithms have blocked many people who have been using their real name and has not stopped bullying. The real reason they want everyone on Facebook to be "real" is because that way they can very accurate data on everyone and use that for marketing to you, which I must admit all of us marketers do.

You can read more about this controversy here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_real-name_p...

Now, they let you submit your ID to prove that your name is real, but you know how it goes with these companies. Sometimes they don't accept it and drag you through and only give you pre-generated answers.

So what can you do?

1. Only Use Your Real Name. Change your name immediately to your real name, because if your account is blocked, you have a chance of proving that it is your real name.
2. Don't Friend too many people you don't know. You might have to answer a quiz where you identify your Facebook friends based on pictures they have uploaded.
3. Don't Spam in groups, which can also cause them to block your account.
4. If you have a Facebook page, you may want to add someone else, such as a relative, as an admin. This way you still have a way of accessing it if your account is blocked.

Don't think this can't happen to you! It happened to me!

Facebook's algorithm has shut down numerous accounts, including some famous bloggers, as well as entertainers who used their stage name. Of course, after the outrage they restored them, but we little people don't have the outrage option.

I uploaded my driver's license and they didn't accept it, perhaps because the picture doesn't match my Facebook profile. My full name on the ID is Benjamin and I use the first name Ben on Facebook, but that shouldn't be a problem because Facebook allows those types of things in their real name policy. I uploaded my passport and more documents and I am awaiting a response. I may have to create a new account and a new Facebook page.

Google Plus learned the hard way and changed their real name policy long ago.

Here is Facebook's policy: https://www.facebook.com/help/112146705538576?help...

Let me know your thoughts!