Meta has long required Facebook users to post under their real name (with a few exceptions), but at least for Facebook Groups, the company is now introducing new options. Facebook Group members will now be able to participate under a custom nickname and avatar instead of being forced to use their real name or post anonymously.
Meta says you can set a custom alias via the same toggle that lets you create an anonymous post. Aliases must be enabled by group administrators, and in some cases individually approved, but once they are, you can freely switch between posting under your real name or an alias. The only other limitation is that the nickname must comply with Meta’s existing community standards and terms of service. When you set up your new nickname, you can also choose from a selection of custom avatars, which mostly seem to be pictures of cute animals wearing sunglasses.
Groups is one of several areas of Facebook that Meta has tried to continually tweak over the years to bring users back. In 2024, the company introduced a tab that highlighted local events shared in Facebook groups. More recently, it has added tools for administrators to convert private groups into public groups and attract new members. No amount of changes can make Facebook as central to young people’s lives as it was in the early 2000s, but allowing people to use the equivalent of a username could encourage Facebook users to explore new groups and post more freely.