San Francisco: A Facebook service that provides reviews of local businesses popped up on the Internet on Tuesday, and even as the companya also launched a tool to report fake names.
A review service based on feedback from Facebook users was launched at facebook.com/services with no fanfare or formal announcement..
A banner atop the page invited visitors to "Find local businesses with the best Facebook reviews and ratings."
As word of the Facebook local recommendation service spread, Yelp shares dove more than 9% to end the New York Stock Exchange trading day at $26.88.
Category options ranged broadly from plumbers and pet services to race cars, doctors and restaurants.
Search boxes on the page showed searches could be done in an array of countries.
California-based Facebook has been steadily tapping into the rich trove of public information provided by its more than 1.5 billion users to provide helpful services at the social network.
Recommending businesses could open doors for revenue with marketing or e-commerce opportunities.
The move also ramps competition between Facebook and services such as Yelp and Angie's List.
Yelp and Angie's List face increasing competition from TripAdvisor and other online players such as Facebook and Amazon.
Real name vs fake name reporting policy
On Tuesday, the site also said it was testing new tools that allowed people to share any special circumstances they felt meant they could not use their real name, according to a BBC report.
The tool is intended to help people who may have suffered domestic abuse, or in cases where their sexuality could put them in danger.
However, Facebook stood firm on insisting people use "real names" in all but the most unusual situations.
"We require people to use the name their friends and family known them by," the company said.
"When people use the names they are known by, their actions and words carry more weight because they are more accountable for what they say.
"We're firmly committed to this policy, and it is not changing.
"However, after hearing feedback from our community, we recognise that it's also important that this policy works for everyone, especially for communities who are marginalised or face discrimination."
Reporting fake names
The company is also adding a new tool for reporting fake names, requiring anyone who is reporting another user to provide more context for their complaint.
Facebook said it received hundreds of thousands of reports of fake names every week.
"In the past, people were able to simply report a 'fake name' but now they will be required to go through several new steps that provide us more specifics about the report," the company said.
"This additional context will help our review teams better understand why someone is reporting a name, giving them more information about a specific situation."
