Facebook test feature shows what you have in common with strangers

If one of Facebook's latest experimental features makes its way to everyone, you'll be able to find out how you're connected to random commenters on public posts. The social network is testing a feature called "things in common," which displays tidbits of info you have in common with people you're not friends with. A Facebook spokesperson has confirmed the test to E ngadget and has told us that the feature will show you tags like "Went to the University of so-and-so" if you have the same alma mater or "A member of Girls LOVE Travel" if you're both members of that group, for instance. If someone lives close by, the tag will say "From San Francisco, California" or wherever it is you're from.

Whether it's good or bad to know that someone's connected to you in some way is debatable. We doubt someone engaging in civil discourse in the comments would want a violent person who vehemently disagrees with their views regarding hot-button topics like politics to know that they live nearby. Facebook said the tags will only show public info you can already see if you happen to go to someone's profile, though, and anything a user had set to private will remain hidden.

The feature is part of Facebook's efforts to make public discussions more meaningful. "Knowing shared things in common helps people connect," the spokesperson told Engadget. "We're testing adding a 'things in common' label that will appear above comments from people who you're not friends with but you might have something in common with. Only information that people made publicly available on their profiles will be eligible to show up."

Like any other experimental feature, "things in common" is only available to a small number of users right now, and only in the US. Also, not all experimental tools end up as actual features. Facebook might also implement changes -- perhaps a way to prevent the tag from displaying certain info you don't want to make so readily available -- if ever it decides to release this particular one.

Source: CNET



via Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2wbHrjq
RSS Feed

If New feed item from http://www.engadget.com/rss-full.xml, then send me

IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Evernote cuts staff as user growth stalls

Image
Note-taking app Evernote has fallen on hard times of late, culminating in its latest spate of job cuts impacting 15 percent of its workforce (54 employees). CEO Chris O' Neil -- an ex-Googler who took the reins in 2015 -- announced the firings at an all-hands meeting earlier today, reports TechCrunch . In a message on the Evernote blog , O' Neill admitted he'd set "incredibly aggressive goals" for the company in 2018. He continued: "Going forward, we are streamlining certain functions, like sales, so we can continue to speed up and scale others, like product development and engineering." The layoffs follow an exec exodus just weeks ago and the company's recent brand refresh (complete with a refined logo and wordmark). But critics are more concerned about its product, especially the free tier, which they claim lacks the perks to...
Read more

The best air conditioner

Image
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter . When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here . After six summers of researching, testing, and recommending window air conditioners, we've learned that quiet and affordable ACs make most people the happiest—and we think the LG LW8016ER will fit the bill in most rooms. This 8,000 Btu unit cools as efficiently and effectively as any model with an equal Btu rating, and runs at a lower volume and deeper pitch than others at this price. Little extra features like a fresh-air vent, two-axis fan blades, and a removable drain plug help set it apart, too. The LG LW8016ER is a top choice for an office or den, and some people will find it quiet enough for a bedroom, too. If our main pic...
Read more

We won't see a 'universal' vape oil cartridge anytime soon

Image
Pre-loaded cartridges of cannabis concentrate are currently among the most popular means of consumption, and for good reason. They're discreet to use and easy to handle, a far cry from the dark days of 2016 when we had to dribble hash oil or load wax into narrow-mouthed vape pens by hand. But, frustratingly, an ever increasing number of oil cartridge manufacturers employ one-off design standards so that their products won't work with those of their competitors, thereby locking customers into proprietary ecosystems. We've already seen this with nicotine vaporizers -- which has a seen a massive rise in "pod systems" in the last few years, each outfitted with a unique canister and battery built to be incompatible with those of their competition. Is it too late for the burgeoning cannabis industry to set a universal standard for their product designs? ...
Read more