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Following a massive large brand land grab by Facebook users, the site has begun requiring electronic signatures in order to create a Public Profile Page. The added step could have been added for a number of reasons, but given all the changes Facebook has made to the public profiles, the increased security measures are just another aspect of growing concerns Facebook may have regarding the more integrated way in which Public Profiles now work.
When you go to create a new Public Profile page, you’ll now be required to provide an electronic signature in order to complete the setup process (as pictured below). I imagine that this has been added as another level of security that preserves the privacy settings Facebook has been able to provide to users on its network.
Now that Facebook’s Public Profile pages act more like regular user profiles, they’re far more integrated with fans’ news feeds. The ability to share more media, integrate more deeply with Facebook applications, and interact better with users means that there’s a potential for a great deal more activity to occur within the social graph associated with the Public Profile page.
Whether brands are concerned with the types of users that are utilizing their logos or brand names in order to create their own presence on Facebook, or the increased sharing functionality has increased any concerns regarding the misrepresentation of a brand (considering increased activity can become the equivalent of spam on Facebook), the added security measure is protecting both brands and users.
Perhaps this will be something that Facebook applies to applications as well. Remember the Starbucks app that was created by a third party, and not Starbucks? The app gained a great deal of traction and was eventually taken over by another app developer that wanted to take advantage of the high monthly user count. To that end, Starbucks missed out on a branding opportunity.
The added security measures could also indicate that Facebook is looking to work more closely with brands themselves, in providing the preservation measures that would discourage squatting (something that’s become rampant on Twitter) as well as misrepresentation of brands. As Facebook looks to broaden its revenue potential and the application platform as well as the revised Public Profile pages are easily used for marketing purposes, it looks like Facebook has taken a vested interest in the protection of brands, possibly for its own long term benefit.
Do you think this will decrease the number of brand poachers on Facebook?
I am missing the basics of this story. What exactly goes in the electronic signature field? And how does Facebook make sure that the creator of the signature is the representative of the brand?
@David: In case there’s some trouble or claims about illegitimacy of a fan page, then Facebook can simply remove the ‘false’ fanpage/user if one party is able to provide proof.
This removal is made easier by making people ’sign’ a contract. Else there would be so much drama about removals, but now people will understand it’s a users own fault.
This makes sense and is a good move on FB’s part.
Does anyone know if Public Profile pages can be the admin/owner of FB groups?
Also, what’s the major difference in features between FB groups and public profile pages?
Thanks!
For the sig, I’ve entered in my FB profile URL, my OpenID, my Spock ID, and nothing works. Can anyone help?
Tnx,
Chris
Me too. Nothing works in the electronic signature field.
yeah, it’s not working for me either. keeps on saying “Please be sure to sign your name where noted.” but after 25 attempts, i’m about as frustrated as can get today.
any help would be awesome!
thanks
j
@Chris - Use your name
Lots of countries in the world don’t use electronic signatures for trivial matters like these. If I want to publish my small non-commercial website using public profile to attract fans and visitors, how the hell do I get a true electronic signature just for that reason?
Has anyone heard about the availability of the designer URL’s for brand pages and when the rest of us that aren’t Oprah will have access to these?
In the help section it said you had to contact facebook using the following form:
http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=create_page
I did that an hour or so ago and am waiting for a reply. Not sure if this is right either.
I’m afraid that “digital signature” doesn’t mean what you think it means.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_signature
There is a difference (a big one) between “digital signature” and “electronic signature”.
Finally a step that may stop public profile appearing here and there (which alot is attention seeking people and not offical) but i still think they need EMAIL validation (and not from free web providers)
Seriously this is just insane. I have tried everything I can think of to get this stupid thing to work. I created the web page…I should be authorized to create a page about it. I don’t understand how we are supposed to get this to work and WHY Facebook does not have something on their site that says how to do this…
Not to mention if someone wrote a blog post about this once they get it I guarantee they will get enough hits to make it worth their while.
Though I understand Facebook’s intentions and how this can protect a brand, I don’t think it’s the best move.
This can hinder a brand’s biggest fan or evangelists from helping them spread the word about themselves. Have a user generated fan page can be a brand’s dream come true! After all, your biggest fans are already there talking about you and telling others about you.
Brands needs to understand how important it is to start their own web presence but for those who don’t, having a community of your fans isn’t a bad runner-up.
Just wrote my name in the text field and that was all!
The electronic signature is obviously broken. I was trying to help a friend with this today, it doesn’t matter what you put in, it doesn’t work. The facebook people are idiots.
I’ve tried everything. Don’t bother waiting for the reply from the FORM. It’s useless. They’ll ask you see check their FAQ page.
Nothing I’ve tried in the electronic signature field in Facebook has worked either. I’ve even gone so far as to download an electronic signature app and create one, but I can’t figure out how to then enter that signature in the field required either. Any advice would be appreciated!
I set up a few pages yesterday. The new process worked fine. (even though I signed up under my fb work profile)
BTW - when i got kicked off fb for creating too many fan pages at one time 10 days ago… they never let me go back on. I start my personal profile all over again - which sucked.
You can create a business account if you are logged in as a “private facebook user” (a normal facebook account for a single user) In the field “electronic signature” you just have to fill in your whole name.
Sign in to your personal Profile and then register your business. The Electronic signature must be identical to the name you have registered as on your personal Profile. Just type it in!
If you don’t have a personal account already, just create one as a middle step.
I’m typing my name, my business owner’s name, random anything and NOTHING works in the “electronic signature”. Maybe it’s “broken” today. This is so ridiculously time consuming!!! Anyone had luck this morning with creating a fan page?
Where you used to be able to create a “new” profile account to associate it with a corporate fan page, now you have to start with creating a profile account for the fan page and be logged into facebook, then enter the profile name as it appears on the facebook profile. What seems silly to me is that facebook doesn’t allow you to create a fan page w/o making you create an individual profile attached to it. If it’s a corporation the fan page should be sufficient information.
You end up having to create a blank individual profile in order to create a fan page.
Anyhow. The point is: In order for the electronic signature to work you must be logged into facebook under the profile that you plan on using to create the fan page. Then enter the name for that profile in the “electronic signature” box.
I had the same problem. Trying to create a page for our business and no matter what I put in the “electronic signature” field I just get the “Please be sure to sign your name where noted.” error message. I’ve tried multiple browsers on my Mac and all have the same problem.
As said above, an electronic signature is not necessarily a digital signature and it is not in this case.
From the FB Help -
“What is an Electronic Signature?
To help prevent the creation of unauthorized or otherwise abusive Facebook Pages, we now ask that users enter an “Electronic Signature” when creating a Page to confirm that they are authorized to create the Page.
The name you enter as your electronic signature should match the name on your account. If you have a business account with no name or profile, or are trying to create an account when you create your Page, please enter your legal first and last name as your electronic signature.”
Just type the name into the form.
FB acknowledges glitches -
“I am repeatedly asked to sign the electronic signature when creating a Page.
We are currently experiencing an issue with this feature that may result in an error when you try to create your Page. We are working to resolve this issue, reports are no longer needed.”
i also found an interesting socail bookmarking website please check it out http://www.7thbillion.com
hello dear friends
good article - how do i cerate a electronic signature? I am willing to do so. Can i do it with
gnuPG or with CaCERT!?
plz lemme know. I look forward to hear from you
cheers
matze
I am having the same problem as everyone else, I can’t get the facebook page to accept my signature. Did anyone find out what happened and what to do about it?
Thank you for your response.
Bob Diamond
So what happens when you are an employee of the site as a public representative?
Do you create an empty account for the CEO, then create an empty account for yourself, then use the CEO’s name for the public business facebook page?
This is a good step, but it doesn’t seem to be fully thought out.
At this point, I will be making my own Facebook Page, then starting a business page using my own name as the electronic signature.
Seems risky for the business if employment were to be stopped at any point.
I’m just taking on a new position here and I’m still in my first week of trial.
Use your name and remember that it’s case sensitive