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Can we have multiple FaceBooks accounts?

by Alan Petersen
15 replies
Hey there,

I've been checking the Facebook terms...

  1. Registration and Account Security

    Facebook users provide their real names and information, and we need your help to keep it that way. Here are some commitments you make to us relating to registering and maintaining the security of your account:
    1. You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.
    2. You will not create more than one personal profile.
    3. If we disable your account, you will not create another one without our permission.
    4. You will not use your personal profile for your own commercial gain (such as selling your status update to an advertiser).
    5. You will not use Facebook if you are under 13.
    6. You will not use Facebook if you are a convicted sex offender.
    7. You will keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.
    8. You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
    9. You will not transfer your account (including any page or application you administer) to anyone without first getting our written permission.
    10. If you select a username for your account we reserve the right to remove or reclaim it if we believe appropriate (such as when a trademark owner complains about a username that does not closely relate to a user's actual name).
I'm confused on #2. Does that mean I can't create a second Facebook account? I want to have a second Facebook account for my business and leave my current for personal stuff.

I've sent a ticket to Facebook as well but thought I would check here as well. I'm not talking about "getting away" with having multiple accounts, I want to know for sure that it doesn't violate their terms. So if you know for sure please advise.

Thanks!

Alan
#accounts #facebooks #multiple
  • Profile picture of the author Absilon
    As far as I know, it is against Facebook's terms of service for a person to have multiple Facebook accounts.
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  • Profile picture of the author donald111
    hello.
    i am confused what r u asking ..
    if u want to have multiple account for your business,you can create business pages with multiple business under your main profile page.
    and u r not allowed if u want to have multiple account seperately.
    thank you
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  • Profile picture of the author DukkyMan
    You know what that's a good question. I've heard people ask about making multiple facebook accounts before and normally I tell them they shouldn't, because it's against FB policy.

    But I don't see why you couldn't make one for yourself for socializing, and than make another for your business.

    That's a good question.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
      You've been providing your peeps good advice Dukky... Facebook got back to me:

      Maintaining multiple accounts is a violation of Facebook's Terms of Use.
      Even if I want have a business account and my personal account... no-go:

      Maintaining multiple accounts, regardless of the purpose, is a violation of Facebook's Terms of Use. If you already have a personal account, then we cannot allow you to create business accounts for any reason.
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      • Profile picture of the author airbusbarkley
        I was wondering the same things as I want to keep my business separate from my persona socializing. That is too bad that we can't have separate accounts. Thanks for clearing that up.
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        Shawn
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        • Profile picture of the author IMStudentforlife
          This is exactly what I was asking in another post (regarding Ezines). Are they lumping IM'ers in with spammers?

          I'm guessing they would love for you to pay for an account. Because they are a business after all.

          So much for that idea, thanks catch 22.
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  • Profile picture of the author DukkyMan
    Ok that doesn't surprise me. You can just make a google page for your business, and it really shouldn't interfere with your social page to much. You don't have to be friends with the people in your group if your worried about them coming into your home page and snooping around.
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  • Profile picture of the author DukkyMan
    Really guys you don't need to worry about it.

    Just make a facebook page or a group (a facebook page is better for business in my opinion) and start getting followers to it, you can set it up and promote to your followers however you want.

    If you don't want anyone from your page or group coming into your profile page (which I wouldn't either with all the creeps out there), just go to your privacy settings, and set it so that only people you are friends with can see your profile page. Really you should do this anyway whether or not you have a page for your business, there are lots of bad folks out on the internet, and A LOT of them are on FB now. You can easily have your identity stolen from FB. Better safe then sorry.
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    • Profile picture of the author IMStudentforlife
      I agree with the security aspect, having experiencing a few "bad people" myself I always am aware of security issues. FB is no different really..

      Becareful with everything I guess. But I do see the benefit of having a FB for my IM business.

      Originally Posted by DukkyMan View Post

      Really guys you don't need to worry about it.

      Just make a facebook page or a group (a facebook page is better for business in my opinion) and start getting followers to it, you can set it up and promote to your followers however you want.

      If you don't want anyone from your page or group coming into your profile page (which I wouldn't either with all the creeps out there), just go to your privacy settings, and set it so that only people you are friends with can see your profile page. Really you should do this anyway whether or not you have a page for your business, there are lots of bad folks out on the internet, and A LOT of them are on FB now. You can easily have your identity stolen from FB. Better safe then sorry.
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  • Profile picture of the author johnarmicle
    No Multiple Accounts on Facebook. But i dont think anyone got banned or anything for having them.
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    • Profile picture of the author Vogin
      I used to have more than accounts for some sort of experiment, no trouble at all - but it is in fact against the TOS.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
    Originally Posted by ProductCreator View Post

    Strange, I know many people who have one for business and one for pleasure. I also know a lot of people who use one normally and another one for playing games like Farmville etc.

    One thing is for sure, they are NOT vigilant about multiple accounts from the same IP. In fact, I think they've come to expect it due to people using FB at the office, school, familes sharing a PC etc.

    Even with the latter they could easily check for similar surnames or connections or something, but it seems they don't.

    I've had multiple FB accounts and had no problems. Though I'd be a bit annoyed if they got banned, including my main personal account.
    I realize it's easy to have multiple accounts and I know many folks have them but I steer clear from violating TOS because it can end up biting you in the rear. Even though they might not be banning accounts now (I don't know if they do or do not) that can change in a heartbeat. And the bigger Facebook gets the more people, the more scrutiny, the more chances of Facebook doing their own version of the Google slap.

    I've been looking at it and going the route DukkyMan has suggested of creating Facebook pages for the business stuff is the way to go. I already have my Facebook profile so only friends can see it so that should take care of the separation of business and personal stuff without violating terms and worrying about getting the axe.
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  • Profile picture of the author DukkyMan
    There you go Alan, Good job.

    Also a word of advice out there reguarding security on FB, don't accept every friend request you get from someone with the same last name as you claiming to be your relative. I've had a few of these in my day and I'm fairly confident I'm not related to any of them.

    I've heard scammers will search for people with their last name in attempt to convince the victim that they are related, so just a word of caution.

    Though I'm sure we all have a few random FB relatives out there somewhere
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    • Profile picture of the author Rashell
      Alan,

      A Personal account is the type set up by most people wanting to use FB to socialize. Whereas...

      Business accounts are designed for individuals who only want to use the site to administer Pages and their ad campaigns. For this reason, business accounts do not have the same functionality as personal accounts. Business accounts have limited access to information on the site. An individual with a business account can view all the Pages and Social Ads that they have created, however they will not be able to view the profiles of users on the site or other content on the site that does not live on the Pages they administer. In addition, business accounts cannot be found in search and cannot send or receive friend requests.
      I guess you'd only ever see one if you wanted to set one up. But if you already have a personal account it would seem from reading the FB TOS FAQs you shouldn't establish another account for your businesses.

      So I'll share what I've found & heard on the subject and ya'll can have at it.

      Facebook "Business Accounts" FAQ
      facebook.com/help/?ref=drop#!/help/?faq=12839

      You may create a business account if you don't already have a standard Facebook account. To get started, you will need to first create a Facebook Ad or Facebook Page. Once you've entered in the required information, you will be taken to the "Facebook Login" page and asked if you have a Facebook account. If you do not currently have a Facebook account, then at this point, please select "I do not have a Facebook account." You will then need to enter your email address and date of birth.

      Please be aware that managing multiple accounts is a serious violation of Facebook's Terms of Use. If we determine that an individual has more than one account, we reserve the right to terminate all of their accounts.
      Facebook "Business Accounts" FAQ
      facebook.com/help/?ref=drop#!/help/?page=12840

      Maintaining multiple accounts, regardless of the purpose, is a violation of Facebook's Terms of Use. If you already have a personal account, then we cannot allow you to create business accounts for any reason. You can manage all the Pages and Socials Ads that you create on your personal account.

      Please keep in mind that the fans of any of the Pages you administer will not have visibility or access to your personal account or profile. Any actions that you take as a Page administrator on your Page will show the Page's name as the actor and not your personal name.

      If you wish to manage ads for multiple clients, you will need to do so from one account. We suggest you restrict all ads for each client to separate campaigns. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to designate separate credit cards for each campaign or to have multiple administrators for the same ad account.
      The next logical step would be to create an FB Page from within your personal profile account. However, if you create a FB Fan Page from within your personal profile then access to that FB Page sticks with that originating profile for the life of the FB Page.

      Facebook "Pages for Business" FAQ
      Facebook Pages: Creating, administering and editing your Page
      facebook.com/help/?page=904#!/help/?faq=15708

      There is currently no way to take away admin status from the creator of a Page. However, Page admins can add or remove other admins by following these steps:
      1. Click the "Edit Page" link below the Page's photo.
      2. On the right hand side, click the "Add" link in the Admin section.
      3. Select the friend you would like to add as an admin.
      and also at the end of...
      facebook.com/help/?ref=drop#!/help/?faq=12845

      Each business account or personal account on the site should only be used by one individual. This individual should be the owner of the email address used as the login email address for the account.

      A Page can have multiple administrators. Each Page administrator will need to have their own business account or personal account. Every admin can manage the Page from their own Facebook account using the "Page Manager" application that will appear in the left hand column of the Applications section once they become an admin for a Page. Every admin has equal access to and the same abilities as the other admins for a Page, however the original creator of the Page may never be removed by other Page admins.
      More "good" reading...

      facebook.com/help/?ref=drop#!/help/?page=721
      facebook.com/help/?ref=drop#!/help/?question=576650

      So let's say you sell the business (or no longer work for a company) associated with the FB Page created using your personal account. According to FB your account will indefinitely have access and control over that FB Page.

      It is an odd conundrum to say the least. Why FB would create Pages and not address transfer of ownership anywhere within the FAQs or TOS is beyond me. I mean they are a business after all.

      Even after seeing the above I've known some to hold the position --> it's best to set up another account with "the business as owner" (technically "you're" not managing or owning this profile) create the page from this account, then attach your personal profile account as one of the admins of the page. That way the FB Page is transferable with a switch of admins.

      Makes good long term business sense to me. Not quite sure the guys over at FB have matured to an age of realizing they are not immortal --> Businesses sometimes outlive creators. Really, are they even old enough for that reality to have set in?

      So anyway, now that I've pretty much copied and pasted all of FB's FAQs to this post I'm done... your turn.

      Rashell
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