Facebook users can soon create up to five profiles

Facebook will allow some users to have multiple profiles as part of a trial, the company announced today, signalling a significant change as Meta looks for new ways to encourage users to stay on the platform amid increased competition from rivals.

As part of the trial, some Facebook users can create up to four additional profiles linked to their original account. The idea is that additional profiles can be used for different purposes, such as one for friends, one for co-workers, and others for interacting with interest groups and influencers. Users will still have an account but can switch profiles with just a few clicks.

According to spokesman Leonard Lam, profiles will be subject to Facebook policies, and violations on one profile will affect the account as a whole. "To help people tailor their experience based on interests and relationships, we're testing a way for people to have more than one profile tied to a single Facebook account. Anyone who uses Facebook must continue to follow our rules," Lam says.

Users who create additional profiles won't need to use their real identity for their display name. Lam says, as long as the substitute doesn't violate platform policies and doesn't include numbers or special characters. Facebook's rule that account holders must use the name they use in real life has been a point of contention for years, even prompting legal action in Germany.