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, to stand out from other social networks and so it can better target advertising to people. Drag queens (from left) Lil Ms Hot Mess, Sister Roma and Heklina spoke of their disappointment earlier this month after Facebook executives met with them and refused to change the policy banning stage names. Facebook apologized - altough the real names policy isn't changing, the way Facebook enforces it might
@highlight
Facebook recently deleted several hundred accounts belonging to self-described drag queens and members of the LGBT community
@highlight
It requires users to go by their 'real names' on the site for security purposes
@highlight
Facebook: Policy doesn't mean legal name but 'authentic name used in life'
Heklina (left) said: 'I have been Heklina for 20 years, and I have @placeholder telling me Heklina does not exist.