Facebook goes after Snapchat with disappearing messages
NEW YORK — Facebook is experimenting with disappearing messages, a feature that would directly compete with messaging start-up Snapchat.
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The feature, which can be activated by tapping an hourglass icon in the top right of the chat window, will allow people to send messages that automatically disappear after an hour. A second tap on the hourglass will turn the disappearing messages feature off.
Only those in the specific conversation will be affected by the disappearing messages, which means you can turn it on or off depending on who you are talking to. Anyone in that chat can enable or disable the feature at any time from within the thread by just tapping the hourglass icon.
According to screenshots of the app, it looks as if the chat bubbles will remain for the self-destructed messages. Instead of the traditional blue with white text, there will be an empty white box.
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As with Snapchat, users can always screenshot the chat window to save a photo of the message, though it is unknown if in the Facebook version, the sender will receive a notification that that has happened.
In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Facebook said it is experimenting with the feature in France, but it may expand to other countries in the future.
"We're excited to announce the latest in an engaging line of optional product features geared towards making Messenger the best way to communicate with the people that matter most," read the statement. "Disappearing messages gives people another fun option to choose from when they communicate on Messenger. We look forward to hearing people's feedback as they give it a try."
Facebook users in France noticed the feature, BuzzFeed reported.
The move is the latest in a budding rivalry between Snapchat and Facebook and comes nearly two years to the day after Facebook reportedly tried to acquire Snapchat for $3 billion, only to be turned down by Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. Last week Snapchat announced that its users were viewing more than 6 billion videos a day, closing in on Facebook's 8 billion daily video views.
It's been a busy week for Facebook. Earlier this week the company announced a new "Photo Magic" facial recognition feature for its Messenger app. Today the social network announced it would be bringing 360-degree News Feed video and ads to the iOS app.
Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @eliblumenthal