Facebook apologizes to drag queens, transgender community for 'real names' policy

Facebook is apologizing to drag queens and the transgender community for deleting accounts that used drag names like Lil Miss Hot Mess rather than legal names such as Bob Smith.

The world's biggest online social network caught heat recently when it deleted several hundred accounts belonging to self-described drag queens, other performers and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Facebook has long required its users to go by their "real names" on the site for security purposes. Now, the company says that won't mean a person's legal name but "the authentic name they use in real life."

Facebook says it plans to provide "much more deliberate customer service" to users whose accounts are flagged as fake.