Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, highlighted his commitment to “revive the essence of OG Facebook.” Starting today, we can witness the outcome of that vision with the launch of a new Friends tab within the Facebook app.
The New Friends Tab Emulates the Original Facebook Experience
As reported by Mike Isaac in The New York Times:
The company announced that the updated Facebook app would feature a distinct news feed dedicated solely to posts shared by friends and family. This new feature, termed the Friends Tab, will take the place of a section that previously displayed new friend requests or friend suggestions. Instead, the Friends Tab will present a continuous feed of updates, including photos, video stories, text posts, birthday reminders, and friend requests. Currently, this update is available only to Facebook users in the United States and Canada.
“The concept of having a centralized hub for what your friends are up to was the enchantment of social media’s early days,” stated Mr. Alison, the head of the Facebook app. “We want to ensure that this aspect remains a part of Facebook, as it should not be overshadowed in the contemporary social media landscape.”
Although altering a single tab in the Facebook app might seem minor, this new Friends tab introduces an essential feature that has been lacking on Facebook for quite some time.
The original or “OG” Facebook experience revolved completely around interactions with friends and family.
You would connect with various individuals, and their updates would populate your feed.
As time passed, Facebook’s main feed became inundated with diverse content types. Suggested posts, brand promotions, and a myriad of other distractions overwhelmed the original charm of Facebook.
Now, the introduction of the Friends tab appears to recreate the essence of Facebook’s main feed from its heyday.
According to the article, this modification is rolling out today. I needed to force quit the app to see the update, but if you’re in the US or Canada and haven’t noticed it yet, it should be available soon.
What are your thoughts on Facebook’s new Friends tab? Share your opinions in the comments below.
