TL;DR
Get the latest gadgets delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Meta is expanding its test of Forum, a standalone app that brings a user’s Facebook Groups together, with new features for finding group discussions and recognizing helpful members. The app is available in the US on iOS and Android; Meta has not said when or whether it will launch more widely.
Meta is expanding its test of Forum, a standalone app for Facebook Groups, with AI-assisted search, interest-based topic labels and a new role recognizing helpful members. The app is available to download in the United States on iOS and Android, and Meta says people can sign in with their Facebook accounts to access their groups and find others.
Meta describes Forum as a purpose-built app for people who want to spend more time in Facebook Groups. It syncs with a user’s existing groups and collects them in one place, where members can see recent activity and join conversations. Meta says it started testing the app in May and is now introducing additional features. It has not provided a general release date.
One addition is Ask, which uses AI to surface existing posts and comments from Facebook Groups in response to questions. Results can include discussions from groups a person already belongs to and public groups they have not joined. Meta says users can open the underlying group discussion from Ask. The company is testing comparison recommendations, such as help weighing product or entertainment choices, and suggestions for new questions based on recent searches.
Forum is also testing topic labels on posts, including examples such as solo travel and Korean food. Tapping a label brings up other conversations on that subject. Separately, Meta is testing a new member role intended to recognize contributions such as answering questions, sharing firsthand experience, offering practical recommendations and starting discussions. The role replaces contributor badges and the group expert role, according to Meta, and includes a badge and benefits such as faster post publishing. Posts remain subject to Meta’s Community Standards.
A New Route Into Group Advice
Forum gives Meta a separate way to organize activity from Facebook Groups, where members often exchange advice based on personal experience. Ask could make older discussions easier to find by bringing relevant posts and comments into a response, while topic labels could help people move between conversations around an interest. Both features may also expose users to public groups they have not joined.
The recognition role could affect how participation is encouraged and how quickly some members’ posts appear. Meta says admins can grant the role directly and that the company will nominate members for their consideration. Because the system is being tested, its effects on group participation and moderation are not yet established.
How Forum Connects to Facebook
Forum is linked to Facebook rather than presented as an independent social network: users log in with a Facebook account, and the app syncs with their groups. Meta says it is exploring the product for people who want to go deeper into group activity. The company also says it is developing tools for group admins and plans to share more about that work in the coming weeks.
The new recognition role is being tested on Forum in the United States and on Facebook globally, according to Meta. That rollout is distinct from the app’s availability, which the company describes as a US download for iOS and Android. Meta has not said whether Forum will become available in other countries.
“Forum is a purpose-built app we’re exploring for the people who want to go deeper on Facebook Groups.”
— Meta
Rollout and AI Details Remain Open
Meta has not said how long the Forum test will last, whether the app will expand beyond the United States, or when it might launch broadly. It has also not provided details on the number of people testing Forum or how the new features will be evaluated.
The announcement describes Ask as using AI to highlight existing group posts and comments, but does not explain how it selects or ranks results, how it handles inaccurate or conflicting discussions, or what safeguards apply when public group content is surfaced. The company has not specified how it will choose members to nominate for the recognition role or how faster publishing will work in practice.
Meta Plans More Admin Updates
Meta says it will share more about the tools it is building for group admins in the coming weeks. The company also says it plans to continue developing Forum and hear from its community, but has not announced a date for another update or a decision on wider availability.
Key Questions
What is Forum?
Forum is a Meta app for Facebook Groups that brings a user’s groups together and adds features for finding discussions and exploring topics.
Where can people download Forum?
Meta says Forum is available in the United States on iOS and Android. Users sign in with their Facebook accounts.
What does Ask do?
Ask uses AI to highlight existing posts and comments from Facebook Groups in response to questions. It can show discussions from groups a user belongs to and public groups they have not joined, according to Meta.
Who can grant the new member role?
Group admins can grant the role, and Meta says it will also nominate members. Recipients are notified and can remove themselves at any time.
When will Forum launch outside the US?
Meta has not announced an international rollout or a date for a broader launch. Forum remains in testing.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
