Tech

Facebook is expanding its group watching feature to every page and profile

Facebook launched Watch Party its feature that lets users watch videos simultaneously together online inside Groups earlier this year, and now it’s expanding it to every page and profile around the world.

Facebook built Watch Party after finding that live videos encouraged more social interactions than prerecorded ones. At the time of launch, Fidji Simo, vice president of product at Facebook, wrote: “As we think about video on Facebook, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring people closer together and inspire human connection instead of passive consumption.” More than 12 million Watch Parties in Groups since it launched in January, and these events encourage active participation with eight times as many comments than non-live videos in Groups. Of course, we have no idea what those comment numbers actually are.

Watch Parties are also getting a few new features, including threaded comments so people can have conversations, as well as live commentating, which gives hosts the ability to go live and comment aloud as a video plays. Users can also now schedule a Watch Party ahead of time.

Encouraging people to tune into live viewing events could help people enjoy the platform more, or at least encourage positive interactions. The “creating experiences” idea also comes up with the company’s goal to get people to comment more on other peoples’ posts.

latest Stories

A NEW DOCUMENTARY WILL FEATURE IRATION STEPPAS

'Ina Vanguard Style,' a documentary about Leeds-based duo Iration Steppas, will be released by...

By Harinder Kaur
2 years ago
INDIA JORDAN AND FINN SHARED CHRISTMAS MIX

'Joy III The World,' a seasonal mix by Finn and India Jordan, has been...

By Harinder Kaur
2 years ago
Fireboy DML’s Hit Track

Ed Sheeran has contributed to a remix of Fireboy DML's single "Peru," which was...

By CHANNEL
2 years ago
Neil Young’s ‘Lost’ 1987 Album ‘Summer Songs’ is a Christmas Surprise for Fans

Summer Songs, a "lost for years, but not forgotten" LP recorded in 1987 but...

By Harinder Kaur
2 years ago