The move comes as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to make the platform more engaging. CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously stated his desire to “bring back the original Facebook experience,” emphasizing that enhancing the video experience is a key part of Meta’s strategy to compete with TikTok.
Meta has also increased the visibility of newly published videos by around 50% on their first day, allowing users to discover the latest content right after it’s uploaded.
Additionally, the company introduced a new feature called “Friend Bubbles,” which appears in the lower corner of a video to show friends’ interactions with it. Users can even start a direct chat by tapping on a bubble.
In its announcement, Meta said:
“Seeing friends’ interactions has always been a core part of the Facebook experience, and we’re continuing to build features that bring us back to those roots.”
In June, Meta announced the merging of all video formats under the Reels category and the removal of time limits, aiming to simplify the experience and further promote short-form content on the platform.