Facebook announced Tuesday that it will introduce new features for Facebook Groups, including “Channels” that allow users to connect with each other in a smaller context. Admins can create channels to connect with their groups in a more casual way within the community for more focused discussions.
Admins can create three types of channels: chat, audio, and feed. Community chat channels can serve as a place for people to comment, collaborate and discuss specific topics in a more real-time manner on Facebook groups and Messenger.
Once a user has created a chat, they can name it and decide if they want it to be invitation-only. You will be able to send messages and receive notifications when users join a chat room. If the chat history is full and the user is not active, they may have to join again.
The new community feed channel is a way for members to connect at their convenience. Admins can organize communities around topics within groups, allowing members to connect around more specific interests, Facebook said. Groups will also display suggested feed channels that users can join.
Finally, community audio channels will let admins and members jump in and out of audio conversations in real-time. Facebook notes that while audio channels start with audio, people can turn on their cameras at any time. The new Audio Room shares a lot of similarities with Discord.
Admins can start creating channels to connect with their groups in a smaller, more casual setting where they can have deeper discussions about common interests or organize their communities around different forms of topics,” said Facebook Community Vice President Maria Smith said in a statement.
Facebook also announced that it is testing a new sidebar that will help users find their favorite groups faster. The sidebar will list your groups and the latest activity, including new posts. Users can also choose to pin their favorite groups to the top of the sidebar, so they will be shown first. The sidebar also provides users with the ability to discover new groups or create their own.
The social media giant is also improving how each group is organized, with a new menu that will include things like events, stores and various channels, making it easier for users to connect with others based on their favorite topics.
Facebook recently rolled out new features to help Facebook group admins keep their communities safe, manage interactions and reduce misinformation. Most notably, the company has added an option for admins to automatically reject incoming posts that are confirmed by third-party inspection agencies as containing false information.
Facebook Groups have made headlines over the past few years for their increasing use by those looking to spread harmful content and misinformation, and the new feature aims to address some of these issues and give admins a chance to keep an eye on them community has more control.
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