Facebook has been notorious for coming up with ideas similar to other rivals’ products. Currently, Facebook has been the talk of the town after releasing their own version of “Tik Tok”. To celebrate yet another similarly functioning product, here are the top rival products that have been “copied” by Facebook.
Slingshot (June 2014)
You may not remember this but once upon a time, Facebook launched “Slingshot”. Facebook announced this standalone app as a competitor to Snapchat. This lets users send photos with an extremely short lifespan. The catch? Users need to send their reply before they could see the “shot”.
Slingshot died within three months after it was released.
Craigslist (October 2016)
Yes, they developed a similar function as the ones we are familiar with in Craigslist. However, it is extremely useful. The Facebook Marketplace is an additional tab in your timeline which allows you to browse products from other Facebook users. It allows you to tailor your criteria such as location, distance, and categories. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist both display the same experience, peer-to-peer shopping.
Instagram Stories (August 2016)
Let’s not forget that Facebook owns Instagram. During the latter half of 2016, Instagram rolled out their own “stories” feature, similar to that of Snapchat’s. It allows users to post photos and videos that disappear automatically in 24 hours.
In an interview with Former Instagram CEO, Kevin Systrom, said that Snapchat deserved all the credit for coming up with the idea. Instagram stories has been a big part in Facebook’s evolution that this feature was exported to the main Facebook app and Messenger app.
Facebook Gaming (April 2020)
One of its latest ventures is Facebook Gaming. Gamers used to stream their games using third-party platforms. However, Facebook embraced the idea of a streaming platform and launched a standalone app called “Facebook Gaming”.
It is more than just a streaming platform though. It really serves as a facebook for gaming content. If you’re not going to watch live streams, you can binge on other gaming content using the Facebook Gaming app or tab in your web-based Facebook profile.
Messenger Rooms (April 2020)
The pandemic has paralyzed the face-to-face interactions among people. To help people in reaching others, Facebook Rooms has been launched. It is highly similar to Zoom and Houseparty, two of the leading video conferencing platforms during the pandemic.
Facebook Rooms serve the same function, it allows users to create a private room and talk to each other using video and voice call.
Copying isn’t always illegal, and Facebook has exemplified this over the years. Speaking of social media, here’s some news about Tik Tok’s new cash support for its content creators.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
