Meta Looks To Bring Back ‘OG Facebook’ With Revamped Friends Tab

Notes:

• Facebook’s New Friends Tab:

• • Focuses on friend-only content (posts, stories, Reels).

  • Includes birthday reminders, friend requests, and online status.

  • Aims to shift focus from AI-recommended content back to personal connections.

• Meta’s Goal:

• • Bring back Facebook’s original purpose of connecting friends and family.

  • Zuckerberg acknowledges Facebook moved away from its early social elements.

  • Plans to reintroduce “OG” Facebook experiences throughout the year.

• Challenges:

• • People post less on Facebook now, leading to low engagement in the new tab.

  • Most users won’t navigate away from the main feed to check the Friends tab.

  • Shift to private messaging makes public sharing less appealing.

• Conclusion:

• • Meta is trying to revive Facebook’s nostalgic social experience.

  • However, user behavior has changed, making success unlikely.

  • Overall, many doubt this will significantly improve engagement.

MO Thoughts:

This feels like Meta trying to recapture nostalgia without addressing why people stopped posting in the first place. Facebook became less about personal connections and more about ads, divisive content, and passive scrolling. A dedicated friends tab won’t magically bring back organic sharing when users have already moved to private messaging and other platforms. Unless they rethink how people want to engage, this update is more of a nice idea than a real solution.