Facebook is reportedly testing a new feature named “Rooms” in selected markets like Australia and Canada. This is a public group messaging service, where the user will be able to set rooms and accept new chat additions. Similar to the Facebook Pages, this feature will also has a provision for the moderator or admin approval system.
According to a report by PC Tablet, Rooms feature of Facebook Messenger will enable people to conduct discussions about topics via messaging without utilizing the Facebook group. It can benefit, especially while conducting events or sending alerts. The Rooms will enable people to provide admission to strangers besides friends and family.
This is not the first time that Facebook is beginning “Rooms”. Earlier it had a standalone app Room, which failed in the market. The new feature seems to be a revision of this old app. According to Daily Telegraph Australia, Facebook Messenger product manager Drew Moxon said the new chat feature was designed to stop annoying your friends about interests you’re not certain they share with you.
“Group chats today are focused on people you know — friends and family — and what we’ve found by talking to users is there’s a lot of need for conversations about specific topics,” Mr Moxon said. “This will be for topic-based conversations and so people can talk with others they may not know.” The chats can be private or public and can include up to 250 participants at this point.
"Before, in order to get into a group (chat), you needed to add or invite them — that’s how the group grows,” said Stan Chudnovsky, head of product, Facebook Messenger said to thestart.com of Canada. “We've been talking to our users, and the feedback that was constant was why can't we have thematic groups that can just be found?”
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The feature is said to have started rolling out on Android smartphones from yesterday in Australia. Canada will also receive the feature soon. After the trial, India is also among the list of the countries that will receive the feature.
