As many people have already heard, Facebook is making some major changes in 2018, including a change
in personal news feeds and shared content. What else is new? The Facebook "watch party." As said by cnet.com, "what do you get when you cross an online chat room with streaming video? A Facebook watch party." This feature is exploring the power of video, which we know is immense, and how people relate and interact with one another through video.Have you ever watched a video on Facebook, and wanted to share that experience with a group you are apart of on Facebook? Now, it's important to note the difference between a Facebook page and a Facebook group. The watch party is specifically for Facebook groups, which are enclosed pages with admins who control the page and those who are apart of it. With the Facebook watch party, people can watch videos, both live and ones already posted, simultaneously. This includes commenting, reacting, and discussing without getting comments lost in the madness of the original post.Fidji Simoi
, Facebook's vice president of product, stated "In a Watch Party, members of a group can watch videos together in the same space at the same time... it creates a shared viewing experience for video that helps build the kind of community and engagement we've seen with Live." Facebook is striving to keep connections between users and their friends and family, being able to share updates and special moments together. With "watch party," users can share powerful videos of all kinds immediately to their desired groups.As we emphasis here at Steven James, video is powerful. Facebook has skyrocketed with their Facebook Live option, and has become a big asset to the digital world. People are becoming increasingly interested in what is going on with the now, and want to be able to share those moments with others. Simoi also states "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."
We want to hear what you think about this new Facebook watch party! Be sure to comment and share, and spark a conversation about Facebook's new story. And, if you have a story of your own that you want to tell, contact us today!
