Meta Quietly Launches Forum App for Facebook Groups

Meta has quietly released a new app called Forum, which appeared on Apple’s App Store without an official announcement. The app focuses on Facebook Groups discussions and appears to be Meta’s latest attempt to build a more community-driven social experience.

Forum brings Group conversations into a separate app while still linking directly to Facebook accounts and activity. The move also revives an older idea after Meta shut down its standalone Facebook Groups app back in 2017.

Forum focuses on Group conversations

Meta describes Forum as a space for conversations that matter to users. The positioning sounds similar to Reddit, especially since the app emphasizes discussions, answers from communities, and topic-based feeds.

Unlike Reddit, Forum still relies on Facebook identities. Users must sign in with a Facebook account, and their Groups, activity, and profile connections carry over automatically.

The app does offer anonymized usernames similar to Facebook’s anonymous posting tools. However, Group administrators can still view a user’s real identity behind posts and comments.

Feed recommendations and Facebook integration

Forum’s main feed centers around conversations from a user’s existing Facebook Groups. The app can also recommend new Groups and discussions based on interests selected during setup.

Meta designed Forum to work alongside Facebook instead of replacing it. Posts created through Forum also appear inside the main Facebook app, while Facebook Group posts can surface inside Forum as well.

This cross-posting approach allows users to continue discussions between both apps without losing conversations or community activity.

AI tools are built into Forum

Meta also added AI-powered features to the app. One tool, called Ask, can gather answers from multiple Groups so users do not need to search discussions manually.

The app also includes an AI moderation assistant for Group admins. Meta says the assistant can help moderators manage conversations and community activity more efficiently.

The company confirmed Forum remains in testing. Meta says it regularly releases experimental products publicly to see which features users actually find useful.

The launch comes during a larger AI push at Meta. Reports recently claimed the company plans to cut around 8,000 jobs while increasing investments in AI infrastructure and products. At the same time, Meta’s broader AI ambitions could face pressure after reports that China blocked a rumored $2 billion Manus AI deal.

Meta also faces growing scrutiny around AI and data usage, with a new lawsuit reportedly forming against OpenAI over claims involving user data sharing with Meta and Google.

Via Engadget