Facebook has introduced channels for Groups, which will allow people to connect in smaller spaces with one another. Three formats are available for members of a Facebook Group to use when they want to communicate with one another in real time.
Furthermore, the social media platform has also announced that it is testing a feature that will help users better organize their Facebook Groups.
Facebook Introduces Channels for Groups
Facebook has officially introduced channels, which is described as focused spaces that are geared towards letting people connect in smaller, more casual settings within a Facebook Group," according to the press release posted on the Facebook Newsroom.
Per the press release, the Facebook Groups channels come in three different formats:
Community Audio Channels
As its name suggests, community audio channels allow admins and members of a Facebook Group can engage in audio conversations, which they can join and leave anytime. An audio channel can be created within the Facebook Group or on Messenger instead.
A report by Engadget notes that the community audio channels is different from the audio feature of Facebook Groups with rooms. The latter is meant for one-time audio chats while the new community audio channels let members speak to each other anytime they wish, similar to how it is on Discord.
Community Chat Channels
Community chat channels have been defined by Facebook's press release as "a place for people to message, collaborate and form deeper relationships around topics in a more real-time way across both Facebook Groups and Messenger."
The Verge notes in its report that the community chat channels pretty much look like a Messenger thread.
Community Feed Channels
Last and certainly not the least, community feed channels give admins the capacity to "organize their communities around topics within the group for members to connect around more specific interests."
Related Article : Facebook Groups Admins Equipped With New Tools Against Misinformation
Facebook Tests Features That Will Help You Organize Your Groups
The social media platform has also announced that it testing certain features that will help users better organize their Facebook Groups.
One of the features being tested, according to the press release, is a new sidebar that contains the Facebook Groups the user is a part of and the latest activity of these Groups. It will also let users pin their favorite Groups so they are easier to find and access.
Each Group will also get a new menu that will contain things like events, channels, and even shops.
Changes Heading to the Facebook Main App
According to the report by Engadget, Facebook is looking to make more and even bigger changes to the main app. The Verge likewise notes that Meta is planning to make the shift so that Facebook will be a lot more similar to TikTok.
"The company is working on a broader redesign that would reorient users' feeds around AI-driven recommendations more than their existing social graphs," Engadget says.
