Facebook Introduces Community Pages

Think the distinction between Facebook profiles, Pages and Groups is confusing? Add a new wrinkle to the mix: the Facebook Community Page.

The new feature looks a whole lot like the Facebook Pages businesses and brands create, but there’s one key difference: It’s for the hordes of “unofficial” Pages that have been created by users in support of topics or causes (like “Can this pickle get more fans than Nickelback?”).

There’s a big difference in functionality too –- Facebook () says that if a page becomes popular enough, administration will be handed over to the Facebook community. In other words, Community Pages become a whole lot like a wiki once they reach a certain threshold.

Another goal for Facebook is to keep official Pages in the hands of their respective brand owners. A company spokesperson tells us that Community Pages “give our users opportunities to express their enthusiasm and creativity, while allowing for Official Pages to continue representing official entities such as businesses, bands and public figures.”

At the same time, this means that we might start to see a whole lot more “unofficial” Pages crop up for brands and public figures, free of nasty naming rights issues (remember that girl who claimed Baja Fresh in the Facebook name land grab?).

You can create Community Pages here.