Got a list worth sharing? Facebook is making it easier with a new status update style for creating organized lists on colorful backgrounds.
Got a to-do list, or maybe a bucket list? Facebook has a spot to share that. On Tuesday, February 13, Facebook began rolling out the option to add a list-style status update, complete with colored backgrounds. The update comes as Facebook is also looking to expand the Watch tab with a section dedicated to news and stretches virtual reality Spaces to now include Groups.
The new list option allows users to share any type of list content by organizing with a header and separate list items, which in longer lists, collapse under a “see more” option. Like plain text options, the feature comes with an assortment of backgrounds for making that to-do list a bit less boring. An emoji can also be added to the list header.
Friends can interact with the usual slew of reactions, or start their own list. The change comes as Facebook is working to fill the news feed with more friends and not so much of the viral videos, links, and memes. While seeing a friend’s to-do or grocery list probably falls under the same category as those what-I-had-for-lunch posts, other options like bucket lists, travel lists or humorous lists could lead to more interaction between friends. Some users will gain access to the feature right away, but it is expected to see a slow rollout, so many will have to wait before seeing the option.
The status update change comes as Facebook is also exploring an expansion of the Watch option to include a section dedicated entirely to the news. Watch is Facebook’s home for original video content, a page that mixes both videos from followed Pages along with the most-watched videos, clips friends are watching, and new video suggestions. The new section is expected to follow the news feed’s new focus on local news but Facebook has not shared a launch date for the new section yet. The change comes as Facebook is delivering around one percent less actual news to the news feed.
Another expansion for the social media giant expands Facebook Spaces, the virtual reality hangout, to Groups. While the feature previously allowed users to interact with friends inside VR, the update expands the interaction to members of the same Group. Meeting with a fellow group member may mean you don’t actually know that person in real life, so with the change, Facebook will allow users to mute, pause or report interactions with other Group members.
