Just a few days back, we reported how Instagram can probably bring back its reverse chronological feed and add it on to its existing algorithm based setting. It looks like its parent company is bringing about major changes to the feed of its main app, Facebook, with a tabbed version of the current News Feed.
This unlaunched tabbed version could house different options. It will include the algorithm based feed that is the default right now(in which the app shows the posts that it thinks the person would like the most at the top), the recently added ‘Most Recent’ version, which arranges posts in a reverse chronological order, and an ‘Already seen’ option, which will sort posts that you have already seen.
This will work to optimise the experience of scrolling through your newsfeed, and will provide options to users to view posts the way that suits them. It is also worth mentioning that while the algorithm based approach, which is called the ‘Most Relevant’ style and the ‘Most Recent’ option already exist on the current version of Facebook, the ‘Already Seen’ is a first for the app, and was available only to users through a browser by using the url facebook.com/seen.
This under-the-wraps prototype was found by reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong, who blew the whistle on similar changes to Instagram’s news feed as well. She was able to generate screenshots by implementing the code of the Playstore version of the app that showed a seperate window for users to view posts in a reverse chronological order.
The feature is still a prototype, as remarked by Facebook itself in a tweet, and is just available internally, as said by a spokesperson from the company. The company is still considering an external testing, to make the Facebook experience as smooth as possible.
He said that the company is still considering if this tabbed version will make it easier for users to select the way they want their feed to be ordered, and if it is actually a good option in a practical setting. In a tweet Alexandru Voica from Facebook said “You can already view your Facebook News Feed chronologically. We’re testing ways to make it easier to find, as well as sort by posts you’ve already seen.”
You can already view your Facebook News Feed chronologically. The screenshot below is how we’re testing ways to make it easier to find, as well as sort by, posts you’ve already seen. https://t.co/T0uPZ2KDzp
— Alexandru Voica (@alexvoica) February 18, 2020
