Facebook is becoming like TikTok!? A time when "what your friends liked" is streaming in

Meta has redefined the video experience on Facebook, further enhancing TikTok-style discoverability. They have revamped the recommendation engine to increase the exposure of Reels released on the same day by 50%. Additionally, they introduced "Friend Bubbles" in the lower left corner of Reels, indicating when friends have "liked" a video. Tapping on the bubble opens a DM with that friend, allowing conversations to start based on the video being watched. Meta explained that video watch time has increased by over 20% compared to the previous year, and in June, they announced that "all videos on Facebook will be converted to Reels" and "length restrictions will be removed." On social media, there is a mix of welcome reactions, such as "increased discoverability" and "conversations being sparked," alongside concerns about "privacy being compromised by visible likes" and the risk of "political or sexual preferences being exposed." This article will organize the impact from the perspectives of the feature's goals, user reactions, creators, advertising, and regulation.