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Facebook expands Watch Party to Pages and profiles
Earlier this year, Facebook launched Watch Party, a way for members of Facebook Groups to watch videos together, and since then, more than 12 million Watch Parties have been hosted on the platform. Now, Facebook is bringing them to Pages and profiles. The company said in July that it was exploring the idea of expanding Watch Party beyond just Groups, and it has been testing the video-watching feature with a handful of Pages, including those managed by WWE and BuzzFeed. It added that Watch Parties have been rolling out to individuals' profiles as well and the feature is now available globally as of today.
Facebook requires Page managers to complete authorization process
Facebook is introducing a new verification process intended to ensure those who run Pages with a significant following are who they say they are. Starting with Pages that have a large US audience, Page managers will have to complete an authorization process that will require them to confirm their primary country location and secure their account with two-factor authentication. Those required to take this step will receive a notice at the top of their News Feed and they won't be able to post on the Page in question until the authorization process is completed. Facebook says it's taking these steps to make it "harder for people to administer a Page using a fake or compromised account."
Facebook is showing users all the ads a Page could serve
A day after it was reported that Facebook was getting ready to launch new ad transparency tools globally, the company is now making a major change to Pages. Starting today, people will be able to see any active ads running on a Page across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, even if they're not being served to them specifically. On Facebook's site, you can go to a Page and you'll see a new "Info and Ads" button, which you can click to get information like when it was created, name history and see all the ads it has served since day one. If you notice anything suspicious, like a dubious political ad, you can then report it. Facebook says it'll be adding more Page information in the coming weeks.
Facebook tests split News Feed that keeps friends front and center
Facebook is currently testing a new dual-feed setup that separates Page-generated posts from ads and posts from friends, The Guardian reports. The trial is currently underway in six countries -- Bolivia, Guatemala, Cambodia, Slovakia, Serbia and Sri Lanka.
Facebook Pages can now build their own communities
Today, Facebook is rolling out a new feature called "Groups for Pages," which will let artists, brands, businesses and newspapers create their own fan clubs. The company says the idea stems from two reporters at The Washington Post who started a Facebook group called PostThis, where they interact with some of "the most avid fans" of the paper on a daily basis. Facebook says right now there are more than 70 million Pages on its platform, so this going to be great for many users who want to let their loyal supporters feel more connected to them.
Send Facebook messages directly to businesses from ads
If you want contact someone running a Facebook Page, you can head over to that profile or rely on post comments. Now, the social network allows you to send messages directly to those businesses as soon as you see an ad. Page owners can opt for an ad's call to action to be a Send Message button that would allow you, a prospective customer, to contact them directly for more information. The feature also lets businesses and page admins respond directly (read: privately) to any comments left on a page. When they do, a note will appear in the thread letting other visitors know they're in contact.
William Shatner reviews Facebook's new VIP-only Mentions app
Whether you're a fan of Captain Kirk or Picard (we're Team Picard here), you have to admit it's apt that William Shatner is reviewing the celebrity-exclusive Facebook app -- he definitely loves some VIP prestige. The Priceline huckster gives a surprisingly in-depth feature-by-feature comparison between The Social Network's Mentions app and Pages, which everyone has access to, but not before throwing some shade toward the starship Enterprise's yellow-shirted helmsman and all-around social-media-guy George Takei. Apparently, when you first sign into Mentions you can't proceed any further until you follow one of Facebook's suggested celebrity accounts. "The first person on the list I was given was George Takei (rolling my eyes.) I ended up choosing Robert Downey Jr. to follow and then I hid his posts (sorry Robert!)."
Facebook wants to clean up spam in your News Feed
"1 like = $1." "1 like = 1 Respect." "If you don't share this, you're literally the devil." We'll bet you've seen the above way too often on Facebook. Thankfully, the social network's now showing these unwanted status updates less prominently on your feed, if the original posts were published by a Page account. The updated News Feed can identify three types of spammy posts and make sure they don't drown out more relevant status updates. Those infamous "like-baiting" posts that gain more attention than usual by asking users to like, share or comment are the first in Facebook's downgrade list. That's followed by photos and videos that Pages have already uploaded in the past, and then by links that trick you into clicking through to websites chock-full of ads. The social network says legit Pages that post quality content won't have to worry about anything, but those that intentionally post spam "will see their distribution decrease over the next few months." Unfortunately, Facebook friends fond of posting spam still get off scot-free, so you'll just have to tell your gramps to turn it down a notch.
Facebook Pages Manager available
Facebook has just released their Facebook Pages Manager app for iOS. The app allows Pages admins to administer their Facebook Page account from the comfort of their iPhone. According to the app store listing, the 1.0 release allows the admin to: Post new updates and photos as your Page Get notified about new activity on your Page when it happens, no matter where you are Respond, post and comment as your Page while you're on-the-go Manage all your Facebook Pages from one app View your latest Page Insights Facebook Pages Manager is a free download. Currently the app is only designed for the iPhone and iPod touch, but will run on the iPad in 2x mode.
