Facebook Messenger Update Puts Admins in Control of Conversations
Assuming you’re still using Facebook – and that’s ok if you removed the service this week , you really are – the company just released a new update to its Messenger app that gives you and your friends a lot more options over your group conversations ( for the one who started them). This is how it works.
Flexibility of your new administrative powers against unwanted guests
A new Facebook Messenger update gives group chat administrators – a friend who added you and 45 others to a conversation about an upcoming party, a funny photo they’ve seen on the Internet, or cats – much more power over who can join the group. at any time. For example, an administrator might use an approval process to ensure that no one accidentally adds the subject of an unexpected party to a group message about the planning process.
The problem with this feature is that Facebook – in its infinite wisdom – chose to hide these settings as much as possible.
The great thing about Messenger admin privileges is that they run in the background; If your group chat doesn’t need that level of control, it won’t interfere with group communication. You will have the option to decide if you want the admin to approve approvals for new members, but this option is turned off by default in the group chat settings.
It’s a bit odd that Facebook has disabled these admin rights by default. Isn’t it just because you want to proactively prevent people in groups from adding people that shouldn’t be in the group? If the birthday boy slips by while you’re all chatting about what kind of cake flavor you’ll get for the big surprise, the moment is already spoiled.
We suspect that most people who create Facebook Groups for their friends are unlikely to bury themselves in the group settings menu or even know they have approval rights as creators.
When I tried to test my newfound abilities, I tried to create a new Facebook group with a few friends. I opened the group, clicked on the group name, and scrolled through the settings page to find … nothing. Sigh.
It is possible that an update has not yet been released to me – if Facebook does it that way – but in theory, this is where your new administrative credentials should be if you have access to this feature.
Sharing your group just got a lot easier
Besides admin rights, the Facebook Messenger update adds another small feature: group links. In the same group settings windows as before (accessed by clicking the group name when you are on the screen where you can send messages to the group), you will now find the “Invite to group using link” option.
Click on it and you will get a unique URL that you can send to anyone. When they click or tap on it, the link opens Messenger on their devices (or web browsers) and gives them an easy way to join a group – a handy feature for adding people you don’t necessarily have Facebook friends with, for whatever reason.
Anyone in the group can create these custom invite links and start sending them out in bulk – and remember, if admin approval is turned off by default, your new Messenger group can start exploding before you have a chance to block it.