Remember when Facebook used to routinely change its website layout around and confused / incited anger in everyone every few months? These days it’s sticking to a pretty standard look, but the company does test a few format changes here and there to see what might be worth updating.
The latest update appears to be in the comments section on the Facebook mobile app, which swaps the flat line-by-line format with Messenger-like chat bubbles. Replies also look similar to Messenger, with individual bubbles underneath the original comment.
Hey @facebook why do comments look like this on my phone? pic.twitter.com/2zXQxQKXF5
— chrisZsnow (@chrisZsnow) March 19, 2017
Not sure why, but incredible annoyed by the new Facebook comments format pic.twitter.com/z6T9EXlDRx
— Chris Schalkx (@CHRSSCHLKX) March 18, 2017
“We are always working to make Facebook a more visual and engaging place to have conversations,” Facebook said. “So we’re testing multiple design updates in News Feed, including a more conversational way to comment on posts.”
Facebook also said it’s testing this with a “small percentage” of users, so if you hate it, don’t worry — it’s not a guarantee that the format is permanent. Personally, I think that while the design does make each comment stand out more, it also looks cluttered. The current format is clean and easy on the eyes, though it’s understandable to see why Facebook would want to grab your attention and maximize time spent on the app.
Are you seeing this update on your app? What are your thoughts?
