The social network company, Meta, has launched a new Facebook Friends tab that will exclusively display updates from friends, without any other recommended content.
Announced on Thursday, the social network announced the new update noting that it will provide users with a straightforward method of connecting with friends, following its earlier this year hint at a return to “OG Facebook.”
Meta elucidated in a blog post that the objective is to reinstate features that are dedicated to Facebook’s original mission of facilitating social networking interactions between individuals and their friends.
Initially, the tab will be accessible exclusively in the United States and Canada. It will display friends’ content, such as their posts, Reels, stories, birthdays, and friend requests.
The tab had previously only served as a location to view your friend requests and other “People You May Know.”
In an effort to entice a younger demographic that has largely abandoned or disregarded Facebook in favor of other social applications, such as Meta’s Instagram or TikTok, the company implemented a Gen Z-centric redesign of its flagship social network in October.
These modifications were initially designed to facilitate the connection of users to community information, Facebook Groups, and video.
Nevertheless, during the company’s Q4 earnings call in January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared that one of his primary objectives for 2025 was to “return to the original Facebook.”
“I believe there are numerous opportunities to enhance [Facebook’s] cultural influence beyond its current status,” he stated to investors. He also stated, “I believe that some of this will revert to the original use of Facebook.”
At the time, the CEO did not specify the nature of the forthcoming modifications; however, the Friends page update is the initial of numerous updates that will be implemented this year.
The company acknowledged in a blog post that the social network required a return to its origins.
“Facebook has evolved over the years to accommodate evolving needs and has developed world-class experiences in Groups, Video, Marketplace, and other areas. However, the allure of friends has diminished,” the post asserts.
The company has announced that the new Friends page will be accessible through the Bookmarks section of the app and the navigation column on Facebook’s Home Feed.
Additionally, users have the option to attach their Friends link to their Home Feed in order to enhance its convenience.
To accomplish this, users are to navigate to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Tab bar. After this, users can choose to customize their tab bar and can pin the new tab there.
