Facebook tests out self destruct feature for posts

Steven Loeb · September 10, 2014 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/3917

Some users are now able to set their Facebook postings on iOS to delete after a set time

It's no secret that ever since Facebook became aware of the existence of Snapchat that they have been trying to either to purhase it (offering billions for it of dollar on more than one occasion) or to copy it (first with the failed Poke app and more recently with its new iteration of the idea called Slingshot).

Now Facebook is taking the idea of self-destructing messages and incorporating it into its flagship product, it has been confirmed to VatorNews.

“We’re running a small pilot of a feature on Facebook for iOS that lets people schedule deletion of their posts in advance,"a Facebook spokesperson told me.

Users began noticing the new feature earlier this week, and posting screen shots of it to Twitter:

New #Facebook feature. Post expiration dates?! Spotted this tonight: pic.twitter.com/Sv98D6qI7I
— Jen Flitter (@jenflitter) September 8, 2014

As you can you can see from the picture above, certain users are being given the option to automatically have their Facebook posts deleted, anywhere from an hour to a week after it goes up.

So why would this be a useful option for people? Because some posts are only relevant for a limited amount of time. After that, they are no longer of use.

For example, let's say you have tickets for tonight's A's game that you can no longer use and you want to know if anyone wants to go. So you put up a Facebook post offering them up. Well, once the game is over and done with, there's no reason for it to continue to exist.

Or if someone is going to be in town for a day or two and wants to see if anyone is around to have dinner. Once the trip is over, the post can easily be deleted.

Sure, people can go and delete the posts themselves, but you know people are: they want a way to more easily delete these posts when they're no longer relevant and they don't want to have to think about it. In fact, when you think about, the ability to set posts for deletion actually makes the most sence in this context.

Facebook vs. Snapchat

The idea of self-destructing messages seems to have really peaked Facebook's interest for some reason, which has lead it to attempt to not only buy Snapchat, but alsoto try to recreate it.

Facebook's first attempt was Poke. It debuted in December of 2012, and was right seen for exactly what it was: simply an attempt on Facebook's part to compete with the then new phenomenon known as Snapchat. The Poke app allowed users to send each other messages, photos, or videos that had a set time limit before they expired. Each message was deleted after a specific time that the user set, either 1, 3, 5 or 10 seconds.

The app was never really taken seriously, and Facebook seemed to quickly forget about it as well. As of last month, Poke was no more.

The more recent app, called Slingshot, recreated Snapchat but with a twist: users could not unlock content until they send, or "sling," some content back. This was a unique feature, one that helped set Slingshot apart from Snapchat, but one that more than likely also caused a few headaches, and so Facebook removed it earlier this week.

Shout out to The Next Web for spotting this feature.

(Image source: phineasandferb.wikia.com)