Facebook is taking a step back to its roots with a new feature designed to prioritize content from friends over algorithm-driven recommendations. The company announced on Thursday that it is rolling out a new ‘Friends’ tab, offering users a dedicated feed displaying posts, stories, reels, birthdays, and friend requests exclusively from their Facebook connections. This marks a significant shift in Facebook’s strategy as it aims to bring back the core essence of social networking.
What is the New ‘Friends’ Tab?
The new Friends tab is designed to function similarly to the ‘Following’ and ‘Close Friends’ feeds available on Instagram. Unlike the standard Facebook feed, which includes recommended content, the Friends feed will only show posts from people you are connected with on the platform. This means no algorithm-driven recommendations, sponsored content, or posts from pages and groups.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has acknowledged that despite several feature additions over the years, the social networking aspect of Facebook has somewhat diminished. In a blog post, the company stated, “the magic of friends has fallen away,” emphasizing the need to refocus on personal connections.
How Will the ‘Friends’ Tab Work?
The new Friends tab will provide a vertically scrolling feed containing:
- Posts from friends
- Reels shared by your friends
- Stories that disappear after 24 hours
- Birthday reminders
- Friend requests
Previously, this tab primarily displayed pending friend requests and friend suggestions under the ‘People You May Know’ section. Now, it will serve as a dedicated space for interacting with personal connections without interference from Facebook’s recommendation algorithms.
Rollout and Availability
The Friends tab is currently rolling out in Canada and the United States. While Meta has not yet confirmed plans for a global rollout, users in these regions can enable the feature by visiting their profile in the Facebook app and navigating to:
Settings & Privacy > Settings > Tab Bar
From there, users can ‘pin’ the Friends feed to their navigation bar, ensuring quick access to content from their social circles.
Facebook’s Move Towards User-Centric Features
The introduction of the Friends tab is part of a broader initiative by Meta to enhance user experience by refocusing on real-world connections. The company has been exploring similar features across its platforms. Instagram, for instance, introduced ‘Following’ and ‘Close Friends’ feeds in 2022, allowing users to filter content from general recommendations.
While Meta has not confirmed whether posts in the Friends tab will be displayed in chronological order, this move aligns with growing user demand for more control over the content they see on their feeds.
What This Means for Facebook Users
For many users, Facebook has increasingly felt like a mix of advertisements, suggested content, and viral trends rather than a personal networking space. By launching a Friends tab, Facebook is signaling its intent to re-establish itself as a platform for genuine social interactions.
If this feature proves successful, Meta could potentially expand it to other regions, including India, where Facebook has a significant user base.
