Highlights
- Meta introduces the Friends tab in the Facebook app for iPhone.
- The company is focusing on updates from friends and family, echoing the “OG Facebook” vibe.
- It provides a dedicated feed for posts like photos, stories, birthdays, and friend requests, replacing suggested friends.
- The feature is initially available in the U.S. and Canada.
Caption – Meta is focusing on bringing back the OG Facebook experience for the user. (Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash)
It appears Meta is serious about making good on Mark Zuckerberg’s promise to bring back the “OG Facebook” experience. Zuckerberg earlier this year mentioned one of company’s key priorities for the year would be “to get back to some OG Facebook.”
Now, Facebook is rolling out a new Friends tab in its iPhone app, bringing the focus back to updates from your actual friends and family, just like the good old days. Here’s what we know so far.
In a recent The New York Times report, Mike Isaac explains, “The company said the Facebook app would now include a separate news feed for users that featured posts shared exclusively by people’s friends and family. The feature, called the Friends Tab, will replace a tab in the app that showed new friend requests or suggested friends. Friends Tab will instead show a scrolling feed of posts, such as photos, video stories, text, birthday notifications and friend requests. For now, it will be available to Facebook users only in the United States and Canada.”
Previously, during Meta’s earnings call, the CEO explained, “Facebook is used by more than 3 billion monthly actives and we’re focused on growing its cultural influence. I’m excited this year to get back to some OG Facebook.”
This shift is a major change for Facebook, which over the years has filled the main feed with suggested posts, brand content, and other distractions. The new Friends tab aims to bring back what originally made Facebook popular, a simple way to see updates from people you actually know.
The head of the Facebook app, Tom Alison also adds, “This idea of having a central place of what’s going on with your friends, that was like the magic of the early days of social media. We’re making sure that there’s still a place for this stuff on Facebook. It is something that shouldn’t get lost in the modern social media mix.”
While changing one tab in the app might not seem like a big deal, it marks a return to Facebook’s roots. If you’ve been missing the days when your feed was just friends’ posts, photos, and updates, this new feature is for you.
The Friends tab is rolling out for users in the U.S. and Canada. If you don’t see it yet, try force-quitting the app and reopening it. If it’s still not there, you should get the update very soon.
FAQs
Q1. What is the new Friends tab on Facebook?
Answer. The Friends tab is a dedicated feed in the Facebook app that focuses on updates from friends and family, showing posts like photos, stories, birthdays, and friend requests.
Q2. Where is the new Facebook Friends tab currently available?
Answer. The Friends tab is currently available to Facebook users in the United States and Canada.
Q3. What is the purpose of the new Friends tab on Facebook?
Answer. The Friends tab aims to bring back the “OG Facebook” experience by prioritizing updates from people you know, reducing suggested posts and brand content.
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