Facebook announced the iPhone app Thursday, with a simple tag line — “Create something together.”
The app allows users to create a message board on any topic, with a full range of customization. Users can create their own names, change colours, icons and photos and even change the ubiquitous “Like” button. Just like web message boards, users can appoint moderators, boot off offending members and more. Invitations to boards can be handed out via QR codes or posting a link online.
The idea, says Mashable, is to transfer the experience of posting on message boards to the mobile space, something that hasn’t effectively happened yet. Reddit, the most popular message board on the Internet, only got an official app last week.
The Verge explains that the app was developed by Josh Miller, founder of Branch. He pitched Mark Zuckerberg an app that would allow people to discuss things without annoying other people, but with a customizable experience that Facebook Groups, for example, don’t provide.
Facebook Announces ‘Rooms’ App | FindTheBest
Rooms may be seen as a friendlier face after Facebook’s “real name” policy caused an uproar with drag queens who want to use their stage names on the site. Facebook is now trying to rejig its policy, though that wasn’t enough to stop massive interest in Ello, which Thursday announced that it has become a public-benefit corporation with a mandate to not advertise.
UPDATE: Users are reporting being unable to download the app. A Facebook rep apparently says the app is “propagating” and should be available soon.