Facebook has announced that it will add a bundle of new features to Messenger to attract Gen Z and millennials.The news comes as young people increasingly favor other social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Facebook suffered an almost 40% drop in the number of teens using it between 2014 and 2022. It had the biggest fall in users of any social media platform, surpassing old favorites like image-sharing platform Tumblr.Facebook is now testing a new “Local” tab. This feature will pull together regional content from sources like Marketplace, Groups, and Events into a single tab. Local will then recommend things in your neighborhood, including free stuff in your area and recommendations for local events or venues. The feature is currently testing in major US cities like Austin, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco and Phoenix.The social media giant is also testing a new “Explore” tab.Explore will use Facebook’s algorithm to serve up content it thinks will interest you, using a “variety of signals” to build a feed tailored specifically for you, which, according to Facebook, could include everything from “time management hacks, tips for traveling abroad for the first time, DIY tricks for repurposing furniture or running groups for marathon training.”Facebook is also testing a new feature called Messenger Groups.This will allow small to medium-sized groups of people to send messages and bond over shared interests, without the need to create a conventional Facebook Group. The news comes as Facebook has been fairly active when it comes to rolling out new features over the past months.
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Earlier this week, the platform announced a new monetization program that gives creators additional opportunities to make money from their content, in addition to plans to test giving them the option to make income from their Reels. Instagram has also been on the receiving end of some fresh updates from Meta.In September, Instagram introduced Teen Accounts for all new sign-ups under the age of 16. These Teen Accounts restricted access to the accounts of younger users and allowed parents more control over what their kids see on the app.
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About Will McCurdy
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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.
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