Your loan approval will now depend on your Facebook friends -- thanks to a new patent that the social networking giant has recently secured.
The new feature would allow lenders to use the borrower's social habits to determine approval of credit.
The patent explains that if one applies for a loan, the lender could potentially check out the credit rating of your Facebook friends, The Next Web reported.
The average credit rating of your friends collectively needs to be at least a minimum credit score for the loan to be approved.
Does this mean that you would have to "unfriend" all those people who are in debt, or have failed to repay their EMIs on time? But how would one know about the credit history of their friends?
Experts say there is no reason to lose your sleep over it just yet as Facebook has not made it clear how this patent would be used. Besides, there are laws in place that determine the criteria that lenders can use when deciding your credit worthiness.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
