Facebook introduces anonymous chat app 'Rooms'
Facebook is taking a stab at anonymous group messaging with its latest app "Rooms," which combines the idea of traditional chatrooms with modern smartphone conveniences.
Designed by Facebook Creative Labs, Rooms is different from other popular anonymous app like Secret and Whisper in that it fosters group discussion, not one-time posts.
Users can start an anonymous room, customize its look with colors, backgrounds, pictures and more, then open it up to others using the app. There is also an option for making the room invite-only, a kind of private anonymous group chat. For convenience, the app generates QR code invitations for posting on social media.
In many ways, the app is simply an anonymous message board, complete with moderators (room creators) who have the ability to review posts prior to publishing, ban users and create age limits. Facebook also applies its own familiar set of rules like flagging posts to be reviewed by the app's staff, who can shut down entire threads if warranted.
In an interview with Re/code, product manager Josh Miller said he envisions Rooms to be a platform, a bit like WordPress for chat rooms.
Users are not required to sign in with a real name, but they do have to register a valid email address. Chat text is also stored on Facebook's servers, though only for purposes of backing up accounts. In theory, if a user enters the same email address for both Facebook and Rooms, chatroom scripts could be linked to real-name accounts, but this is not the company's intention, Miller said.
Rooms is available now as a free 16.5MB download from the App Store.
Designed by Facebook Creative Labs, Rooms is different from other popular anonymous app like Secret and Whisper in that it fosters group discussion, not one-time posts.
Users can start an anonymous room, customize its look with colors, backgrounds, pictures and more, then open it up to others using the app. There is also an option for making the room invite-only, a kind of private anonymous group chat. For convenience, the app generates QR code invitations for posting on social media.
In many ways, the app is simply an anonymous message board, complete with moderators (room creators) who have the ability to review posts prior to publishing, ban users and create age limits. Facebook also applies its own familiar set of rules like flagging posts to be reviewed by the app's staff, who can shut down entire threads if warranted.
In an interview with Re/code, product manager Josh Miller said he envisions Rooms to be a platform, a bit like WordPress for chat rooms.
Users are not required to sign in with a real name, but they do have to register a valid email address. Chat text is also stored on Facebook's servers, though only for purposes of backing up accounts. In theory, if a user enters the same email address for both Facebook and Rooms, chatroom scripts could be linked to real-name accounts, but this is not the company's intention, Miller said.
Rooms is available now as a free 16.5MB download from the App Store.
Comments
Anyone who entrusts their anonymity to Facebook deserves what they get.
It's been interesting to see Facebook struggling to come up with the 'next big thing' after redefining social networking.
You hear about the incredibly long hours the multitude of staff devote their lives to and, when you see something like this, you can't help but think, "What the hell are you guys doing with that time? Surely that can't be everything you came up with?".
It will be interesting to see Facebook's situation in ten years time.
It's what I call the Daffy Duck syndrome. Can only do it once.
Yet Facebook hasn't committed any of the absolutely heinous acts Google has, as far as i know.
Yet Facebook hasn't committed any of the absolutely heinous acts Google has, as far as i know.
http://consumerist.com/2014/06/12/facebook-is-now-selling-your-web-browsing-data-to-advertisers/
So Facebook has now gotten to the point AOL (and IRC) was 20 years ago. How nice. What other wheels will they reinvent?
It's not anonymous. But what a great way to catch pedophiles!
Or political dissidents.
“Facebook”
“anonymous”
And this came out of Facebook's "Creative" Labs? They are redefining creativity over at Facebook... Of course they managed to redefine privacy, so why not...
er, did you miss that big expose on how Whisper isn't actually, you know, anonymous? that they don't delete your stuff?
You hear about the incredibly long hours the multitude of staff devote their lives to and, when you see something like this, you can't help but think, "What the hell are you guys doing with that time? Surely that can't be everything you came up with?".
It's pretty frustrating to think about how much the world under-utilizes its top talent. Yes, really, the world cannot wait for the next SnapChat, you geniuses.
I didn't know "the world" was an employer. ????
Or even it's 'average' talent.
You know that old myth about how we were only supposedly using 10% of our brain? Although believed to be false now, I wouldn't be surprised if that figure was accurate for most organisations anywhere in the world...