So Facebook… I think it’s time we had a little talk.
By now you know that I LOVE change. When you changed to the Timeline, I enthusiastically embraced the new format. When you added the ticker that shows my friends every step I take on the desktop version? Sure, I was annoyed. But you’re a free social network; It wasn’t worth complaining.
But now you’re forcing all of your users to get not one, but TWO apps on their smartphones to enjoy the complete Facebook experience? WHY do we need the Facebook Messenger app to see our private messages now? I’m sorry, but this time I just have to say something.
NO! Don’t be fooled by the cute little animal!
I mean, how did that even happen? Who made that pitch at the development meetings?
“Hey guys! You know what would be REALLY cool? You know how Facebook users can currently do everything in one app on their smartphones? What if we made a second app just for messages, and we forced everyone to download this app if they want to see their private messages on their smartphones? Pretty cool, right?”
WHAT?!
No. It’s not cool. It’s not cool at all!
You know I love you, Facebook, but let’s be honest. There have been some problems in our relationship. You’re just too nosy!
No. I don’t want you to have access to all of my phone”s contacts.
No. I don’t want to get a text message on my phone every time a Facebook friend wants to talk about something.
I already have a solution for this, and I think it’s pretty basic but brilliant! If I want someone to be to text me, I simply give them my phone number.
That’s it. Pretty cool, huh? I made the choice NOT to make my cell phone number public on my personal profile. So WHY would I want all of my Facebook friends to be able to text me anytime on that number that I chose not to post?
I hate to say it, Facebook, but I think you need to hear it. You’re slipping. For quite some time, you have been copying from the other networks instead of innovating. And if this is your idea of innovation, you’re going to keep losing fans at an alarming rate.
You’re no longer my favorite social network and that’s because you keep making poor decision after poor decision. You know who else did that? Yeah. MySpace. And how did that work out for them?
TODAY’S QUESTION: Smartphone users: Have you downloaded the Facebook Messenger app yet? What do you think of this mess?
SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
I could post some graphic suggestions for Facebook, but I have decided to keep my comments PG.
I have not downloaded the app and not sure I will. Anyone who knows me well enough that I want to get a message from knows how to text me.
Facebook needs some innovation badly. You are so right, who is coming up with these ideas?
At least they got rid of the poke.
Great post Brian!
Sadly, the poke is still there on the desktop version.
*sigh*
As for Messenger, it’s going to be a case of if you don’t download it, you will no longer be able to access your private messages on your smartphone. Anything BUT smart, right?
I have NOT downloaded the new app on my phone and I don’t intend to. I’m not really sure what this means for Facebook or its users, but it’s been my observation that every new innovation Facebook makes to its platform results in a headache for their users… for what seems like a completely unnecessary “fix”. Like you, Brian, I relegate my text message time to text messages and my Facebook time (relatively little at this point) to Facebook… I don’t want them blended.
Exactly! Who needs MORE texts?
And like I mentioned in my reply to Marilyn above, soon it’s going to be a case of if you don’t download the Messenger app, you will no longer be able to access your private messages on your smartphone. Ugh.
Ehhhhh I still use Facebook only on my laptop. What’s an app?
Well in this case you are saved from this mess…
I KNOW you have a smartphone though, right?
I’m 100% with you, Brian. This makes no sense to un-integrate Facebook private messages from Facebook. Lately I’ve been seeing posts more often where I’m asked to PM my response. I wonder if those users asking for PMs have downloaded the extra app. Anyway, this is sign I might be using Facebook less, not more.
It certainly is frustrating! And again, this is coming from someone who loves change.
If I didn’t work in social media and know that Facebook isn’t dead yet (HEAVY emphasis on the word “yet”), I would be inclined to make my personal profile inactive.
A good friend of mine had, for some reason, decided to send me a very serious message via FB Messenger and it was on this occasion that Facebook informed me about the new app. It was only after downloading it, that I found myself saying, “What are you doing? You don’t need this!”
Great post. I’m out on Messenger. Also out on Facebook. I’ll take my social elsewhere.