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Area native Mark Zuckerberg, who was born in White Plains, grew up in Dobbs Ferry and attended Ardsley High School, announced the redesign of the social media network at Facebook’s annual conference, F8, in California on Tuesday, April 30.
Gone is the blue header that has been familiar to Facebook users for more than a decade, and in is a sleeker, cleaner, white redesign that will place a larger emphasis on “groups.” The new look more closely resembles Messenger, and gives “stories” a more prominent place on the top of users’ feeds.
Zuckerberg said that he and his company will also be rewriting the code for both the Facebook website and app from scratch to make them faster.
“People have always come to Facebook to connect with friends and family, but over time it’s become more than that – it’s also a place to connect with people who share your interests and passions,” the company announced. “Today we’re making changes that put Groups at the center of Facebook and sharing new ways Facebook can help bring people together offline.”
According to Facebook, FB5, is a “fresh new design for Facebook that’s simpler, faster, more immersive and puts your communities at the center.”
Facebook is also introducing a new feature called “Secret Crush,” which will provide users an opportunity “to explore potential romantic relationships within their own extended circle of friends.”
The F8 conference and redesign come following a difficult year for Zuckerberg and Facebook, which has come under scrutiny following data breaches, privacy concerns and Russian interference, including in the 2016 presidential election.
“I believe that the future is private,” the CEO said at the conference. “I get that a lot of people aren’t sure that we’re serious about this. I get that we don’t have the strongest reputation on privacy right now, to put it lightly. But I’m committed to doing this well, and to starting a new chapter for our products.
“We’re building a more privacy-focused social platform — giving people spaces where they can express themselves freely and feel connected to the people and communities that matter most.”
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