Facebook quietly updated two key numbers about its user base

Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

• Facebook quietly increased its number of estimated duplicate accounts to 10% from 6%.
• Estimated fake accounts were raised to 2-3% from 1%.

Hidden within Facebook's blockbuster third-quarter earnings on Wednesday are two important numbers the company quietly updated.

10% of Facebook's 2.07 billion monthly users are now estimated to be duplicate accounts, up from 6% estimated previously. The social network's number of fake accounts, or accounts not associated with a real account, increased from 1% to 2-3%.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

In its earnings release shared with investors, Facebook said the changes were due to "a new methodology for duplicate accounts that included improvements to the data signals we rely on."

While a relatively small percentage of Facebook's massive user base, the 10% figure means that there are now roughly 207 million duplicate accounts and as many as 60 million fake accounts on the network.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.