In an effort to encourage people to connect, Facebook is testing a ‘things in common’ label that users will see in comments of some posts.
Facebook wants people to make new friends on its platform, and while that happens already it has now found a way to help them discover things they have in common with strangers. Last week, the social network confirmed to CNET that it is testing a ‘things in common’ label that will appear in comments below posts that people are viewing.
Here’s how it works: As you scroll through Facebook and stop on a post that interests you, you start reading the comments below it. One of those comments may have been written by someone who went to the same university as you or have lived in the same town as you.
The feature might also say that you’re part of the same Facebook Group with someone, or that you work for the same company, but aren’t friends yet. A Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement that “knowing shared things in common helps people connect.”
“We’re testing adding a ‘things in common’ label that will appear above comments from people who you’re not friends with but you might have something in common with” she explained.
The feature is only a small test in the United States for the time being, and only public information from peoples’ profiles will appear in “things in common” labels. Moreover, it will work according to users’ audience and privacy settings, making it impossible to see something if it’s not made public.
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