Meta has rolled out a Communities feature on its Messenger platform, letting up to 5,000 users join via shareable invites. This update supports group chats and incorporates a Home feed for admin updates and announcements.
Previously, Messenger facilitated Community Chats exclusively for Facebook Group members. The new Messenger Communities feature removes this limitation, enabling various entities such as organizations, educational institutions, and neighborhoods to stay connected without needing a Facebook Group. It also supports interaction among individuals with similar interests, thereby broadening its application.
Meta details that chats within Messenger Communities adhere to different privacy protocols than private messages on Messenger. The company notes, “communities on Messenger are intended for more public conversations,” with privacy policies akin to those of community chats affiliated with Facebook Groups. Both current and future members can access chat content, and Meta monitors these conversations against its Community Standards.
Developing Messenger as a Standalone App
The introduction of Communities represents a strategic effort by Meta to position Messenger as a more independent app. The recent addition of the Highlights tab also aligns with this approach, as it allows users to engage with Facebook posts directly from Messenger. The option to initiate a new community will be available in the left menu of the Messenger mobile app, consistent with its global rollout.
Meta's launch of Messenger Communities follows its 2022 release of a similar feature on WhatsApp. This update extends Messenger's capabilities, differentiating it from other messaging services such as iMessage. It adds a social networking facet that helps users discover and engage with communities directly within Messenger. Communities centralize various group chats, facilitating easy updates on multiple topics.
Real-World Applications of Messenger Communities
For instance, a neighborhood can create a Community to share information about events, security updates, and trash collection schedules through designated group chats. In another example, a school could establish a Community with separate chats for each grade level, enabling parents to participate in relevant discussions. Unlike WhatsApp, which requires a phone number for invitations, Messenger Communities can expand by inviting Facebook friends and their connections, utilizing Facebook's social network.
The Communities feature is being progressively introduced to users around the world, highlighting Meta's effort to enhance Messenger's features and promote broader social engagement beyond Facebook. This initiative signifies Meta's larger goal of integrating social networking components into its messaging platforms, offering users a richer and more connected experience.
