'Messenger Rooms' - Facebook unveil live video calling feature in response to Covid-19
Facebook have this evening revealed a new video calling and live video feature to 'help people feel like they’re together even when they’re physically apart'.
In an ongoing Facebook Live post on his Facebook page this evening Mark Zuckerberg is revealing details about 'Messenger Rooms'.
In a statement this evening Facebook Ireland revealed how 'Messenger Rooms' are joinable group video calls which will make it easy for users to hang out with up to 50 other people.
Facebook suggested people can easily discover and drop-in to rooms, control who joins and sees the room, and use fun augmented reality filters, backgrounds and lighting.
Rooms, they said, can be created right from Messenger or Facebook, and shortly from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp and Portal.
The company said users wil be able to invite anyone to join - even if they don’t have a Facebook.
In its statement the company pointed out that the global launch will see a gradual roll-out, so users in Ireland may have to wait 'a few days or weeks' to see it on Facebook.
The company also revealed how Messenger video call usage has significantly increased over the last couple months, especially group video calls and said the Easter week, beginning April 6th, was the biggest ever for group video calls of three or more people on Messenger.
The company also announced that WhatsApp video calls will now host eight people, compared to four and this, they hoped, would help people personally connect with small groups
The company also announced a series of initiatives for users to access live streaming services like Facebook Live and Instagram Live to host workout classes, offer cooking lessons, faith services and more.
· On Facebook the company are bringing back Live With, which allows users to invite another person into a Facebook Live broadcast. People can also now mark a Facebook Event as online, and event hosts will be able to create online events with Live.
· Instagram’s latest features will allow people to watch Instagram Live broadcasts on desktop and post livestreams to IGTV.
· With the new ability to go Live from Facebook Portal to Pages and Groups, people and businesses can start to create even more interactive content on their Portal for their communities and customers.
Commenting on the launch of Messenger Rooms, Stan Chudnovsky, VP of Messenger, said the joinable group video calls will make it easy for users to spend quality time with "friends, loved ones and people who share your interests".
He went on: "We built Rooms with privacy and safety top of mind so you can feel comfortable connecting with your friends, family and communities. We don’t view or listen to your calls, and the person who creates the room controls who can join, who sees the room, and if the room is locked or unlocked to new guests.
"The room creator must be present in order for the call to begin, and the creator can remove guests at any time. You can report a room name or submit feedback about a room if you believe it violated our Community Standards. Reports will not include audio or video from the room since we don’t view or listen to your calls.
"Messenger Rooms is rolling out in some countries this week and will expand to the rest of the world in coming weeks, including the US. We will continue to add features over the coming months, as well.
"We hope Messenger Rooms will help people feel connected now, and later."
