Facebook Messenger copies Facebook’s copy of Instagram’s copy of Snapchat Stories
Messenger Day lets people post photos and videos to a running diary that expires after 24 hours, like they can on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
At least they changed the name this time.
On Thursday, Facebook Messenger officially rolled out its copy of Facebook’s copy of Instagram’s copy of Snapchat’s Stories feature that lets people post photos and videos to a running diary that disappears after 24 hours.
Unlike Snapchat Stories and Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories, Messenger’s version is not called Messenger Stories. It’s called Messenger Day. Other than that, there’s not much difference between Messenger’s copy and Snapchat’s original.
Like on Snapchat, on Messenger people can add text, drawings, emojis, illustrated filters and even lenses, or animated filters that can be applied to your face, to the photos and videos they post to their Messenger Day, um, “stories.” A Messenger blog post announcing the feature calls them “days,” so okay, sure.
The camera interface that people use to create a post is a fraternal twin to Snapchat’s interface, even the list that appears asking someone if they want to publish the post to their “day” or send it privately to a friend. However, unlike on Snapchat, Messenger adds a third option for someone to create custom groups of friends who can see their “day.”
When it comes to showing you other people’s “days,” Messenger has copied Instagram but also added its own spin. Like on Instagram, Messenger has added a horizontal carousel atop its main screen that lists friends’ “days.” Unlike on Instagram, or Snapchat for that matter, when you’re privately messaging with someone, that person’s “day” will appear atop the conversation, and photos or videos you post to the conversation will feature a button that, when clicked, will add the post to your day.
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