Facebook has announced that it is working on a number of new features for Facebook Groups aimed at bringing communities closer together, and some of them seem very familiar to users of the popular voice, video and text chat app Discord.
According to the announcement, administrators will soon have the ability to create channels within their groups that allow them to interact “in smaller, more casual settings where they can have deeper discussions about common interests or organize their communities around topics in different ways.” This will include new Discord-style community audio channels that allow admins and group members to “enter and exit voice chats at will in real time” alongside the regular text-based chat channels for those who don’t want to use microphones.
In addition to real-time audio and chat channels, Facebook Groups will also offer community information channels, allowing users to interact and post comments on admin-approved topics at their own convenience.
A new and improved sidebar will lead the way, giving users an easier way to access their groups, which will be listed in order of their most recent activity, such as “new posts or conversations you haven’t seen yet.” Users will also be able to pin their favorite group to the top of the sidebar for quick access. The groups themselves will become more organized, thanks to a new menu that will keep members up to date with events, shops, and the topics they care most about.
Meta’s effort to revamp Facebook Groups is only in the testing phase for now, but is expected to roll out to all users in the coming months.
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