Facebook rolls out Friends tab as it looks to return to its roots

Zoom in: Unlike the main Facebook feed, which was reimagined in 2022 to look and feel more like TikTok, the new tab will not show recommended content, Facebook said in a statement.

• The changes, which are launching first in the United States and Canada, will help users connect more closely with friends by showcasing their friends' stories, reels, posts and birthdays. It's an expansion of what was originally the destination for users to view friend requests.

The big picture: Facebook's app has expanded over the years to include many different features outside of social networking.

• It launched Marketplace in 2016 for users to buy and sell community goods. It added a Reels tab for short-form video for creators. It's experimented with other destinations within the app, like a News tab.

• In a more recent bid to win back younger users, Facebook is pushing to make its app more of a destination that can connect people through communities and groups. It's invested heavily in creator content that can support niche communities and interests.

The bottom line: "Social media should feel social," Facebook said in a statement.