Facebook wants to attract more young users to join its social network, instead of spending all their time on TikTok, Instagram and other social apps. To that end, parent company Meta on Friday announced a series of changes to its traditional social network that will put more emphasis on local community news, videos, Facebook groups and more. Other Facebook products, including Meta AI, Facebook Dating and Messenger, are also receiving updates.

Notably, the focus of Facebook's redesign, announced today at the Facebook IRL event in Austin, is partly on its entertainment features, a move designed to compete with apps like TikTok. The changes will also focus on more useful services that Facebook offers to users in local communities. In addition to buying and selling groups, the site also serves as a stop-off point and main communications hub for other local groups, such as those affected by natural disasters, as is currently the case in the US following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helen. (Due to climate change, these types of disaster response groups will likely become more common, too.)

New Facebook Features

The updates come as the Facebook brand is in decline, which led the company to rename itself Meta in 2021, shifting its focus away from its top social app and onto the metaverse instead. Facebook’s user base has been growing older, and younger people haven’t been signing up in great numbers to create a new generation of users. That’s especially true in the United States. According to data from the Pew Research Center, only 33% of American teens are now on Facebook last year, down from 71% in 2014.

Still, Meta is optimistic because she found that young adults, especially those in their 20s and up, are using the site for certain features, like Facebook Groups and Marketplace, for example. The New York Times even covered the latter, as an example of how Facebook was being used by the next generation as a place to thrift shop, not to socialize.

Today’s series of updates capitalize on these trends by making Facebook more approachable for those wanting to connect with their local community or be entertained, rather than as a friend-focused social network. New Facebook function. First, Facebook represents a new tab called local. This attracts local content from locations, groups, events, etc. in one section. Here, you will find a nearby event, local groups providing products for sale, or free local recommendations for new hotspots in the neighborhood. The tab will initially be available as a test in select U.S. cities, including Austin, New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, and Phoenix.

In addition to the Local tab, a user's local community will be highlighted in other ways on Facebook. A new, swipeable section will appear in the user’s Facebook Feed (formerly, News Feed) which will showcase interesting posts and information from the area. This may include things like local events, local Facebook Groups, notable people or businesses, items for sale on Marketplace, and more. Social network also introduces a new "research" tab that focuses on personalized recommendations. 

This section is not only a superficial content that will be entertained, but also has an algorithm that connects you with interest, even if it is narrowly defined. For example, Facebook says users can find tips for their first trip abroad, DIY tips for repurposing furniture, running bands for marathon training and more.