Meta introduces Slack-like commands for Messenger, allowing users to quickly send a silent message or get everyone’s attention in a group chat.
Two shortcuts are already available on the app, starting Tuesday — /silent and @everyone. These commands can send a message without pinging the recipient or notify everyone in a group chat.
These two commands are available on both the Android and iOS Messenger apps globally. However, that’s not the case for every other command. In the coming weeks, Meta plans to add more commands such as /pay that will allow people using Messenger in the US to send or request money from their contacts.
Three more commands, /gif, /shrug and /tableflip are coming exclusively to the iOS Messenger app. They’ll let you quickly find a GIF or embed the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ or (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ emoticons in your chat rather quickly.
In the News: Sony announces three new PlayStation Plus subscription tiers
Reviving Messenger
Facebook has undoubtedly seen more and more competition from rival social media platforms, including its in-house product Instagram, which started as a photo-sharing platform but has transformed into a full-fledged social network. While Meta’s other products, Whatsapp and Instagram, are performing fine, Facebook — and by extension, Messenger — is still bleeding users, especially younger ones.
Meta’s increased interest in reviving Messenger by adding more features and integrating it with Instagram’s Direct Messages is nothing but an attempt to restore Facebook to its former glory when Messenger used to be the go-to chatting app online.
However, other problems have plagued the platform and hindered its growth. Facebook is still figuring out how to control hate speech or handle its child abuse situation, rather big issues that keep dragging the platform’s name through the mud every time they’re reported. Its algorithm has also been under fire for bias — political and racial.
For Meta, the buck doesn’t stop here; Instagram is currently testing a feature that helps people find social movements and offer support.
In the News: Yandex is harvesting user data using its mobile SDKs
