Facebook is bringing back a feature that might spark nostalgia for long-time users. The social media giant is reviving its Friends tab, prioritizing content from people you actually know rather than strangers and algorithms.
At a glance:
• Facebook is reintroducing the Friends tab that focuses exclusively on content from friends, removing AI-recommended posts
• The update is available in the United States and Canada with plans for global expansion
• Users can access the tab via the navigation bar on home feed or in the Bookmarks section
• The tab will display friends’ stories, Reels, posts, birthdays, and friend requests
• This move represents a strategic shift back to Facebook’s original purpose of connecting friends
Facebook Returns to Its Roots
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is steering Facebook back to its original purpose after years of algorithm-driven content and divisive political posts. The revamped Friends tab will show users content exclusively from people they know, with no recommendations or sponsored posts cluttering the experience.
We’re going back to OG Facebook!
The update marks the first of several planned original Facebook experiences designed to recapture what made the platform special in its early days. The Friends tab previously only showed friend requests and suggestions, but will now display a comprehensive feed of friends’ stories, Reels, posts, birthdays, and more.
Meta explained the reasoning behind this change in their announcement, acknowledging that the platform had lost some of its original appeal. “Connecting with friends has been a part of Facebook since it launched. Over the years, Facebook evolved to meet changing needs and created best-in-class experiences across Groups, Video, Marketplace and more, but the magic of friends has fallen away,” the company stated.
Accessing the New Feature
The revitalized Friends tab is currently available to users in the United States and Canada. Users can find it on the navigation bar of their home feed or in the Bookmarks section of the app.
For easier access, users can pin the Friends tab by customizing their tab options through “Settings & Privacy.” This allows quicker access to the friend-focused content without having to navigate through other features first.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained the motivation behind reviving this feature, noting how Facebook’s evolution had left behind some of its most valuable aspects. “Facebook started off as this online directory for people to get to know the people around them in their communities, [and] then it sort of evolved in this direction that one part of it, which was sharing and News Feed, just completely out-scaled,” Zuckerberg said.
Strategic Response to Changing Social Media Landscape
The revival of the Friends tab comes as Facebook faces intense competition from platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which have captured younger audiences with their focus on video and broader social interactions. Last October, Meta redesigned Facebook specifically to target Gen Z users, emphasizing community engagement and video content.
This latest update represents a strategic pivot, attempting to differentiate Facebook by returning to more intimate, friend-centric interactions. The company plans to roll out more features throughout the year to enhance the experience of connecting with friends on the platform.
Despite Meta’s optimistic portrayal of these changes, industry experts remain skeptical about their potential impact. Many users have migrated to private messaging platforms for personal interactions, and the decreased tendency to share personal content on Facebook may not be reversed by interface changes alone.
