Expecting a baby or buying a brand new car? The tech firm wants you to highlight these huge moments.
Facebook life events will have their own section on the social network.
When Facebook product manager David Harris proposed last year to his then-girlfriend, he shared the milestone on the social network.
But he didn’t feel like the post matched the magnitude of the moment.
That’s when he started having discussions concerning redesigning a Facebook feature that permits users to highlight major life events like getting married, buying a brand new car or expecting a baby .
Facebook revamped its life events feature
On Wednesday, Facebook unveiled changes to its life events feature. Users will be able to include videos and illustrations once they share a milestone with their friends. Life events will now have their own section, making it easier for friends to find a list of those huge moments. Previously, these events were included within the “About” section of your Facebook profile.
“The huge moments in your life are a really powerful way to express who you’re and find out about others,” Harris said.
To make the moments seem more “cinematic,” Harris said Facebook is also incorporating animation into the feature like slowly zooming into a photo or video. Once a user posts about a new relationship, as an example, an icon showing two hearts will come together and beat as one. Emojis used to react to a post will pop up to make a sense of celebration.
It’s the first time Facebook has redesigned the “life event” feature since its release. The feature is located within the upper right corner of the box users fill out to share their status on their profiles. Once users post a life event, icons like a graduation cap or house help the post stand out on the News Feed.
Facebook additionally said it might notify users once their friends post certain life events like when they move to a new town or change their relationship status. Users will be able to include profile photos from the individuals or pages tagged in their life event post.
The revamped life events feature is currently available globally within the Facebook mobile app and on desktop. It includes ten categories such as travel, family, remembrance and education. Harris said there used to be more than fifty categories.
The company did get rid of certain life events like removing your braces, however still lets users create their own.
“We really wanted to get out of the way to provide tools therefore you can be expressive as you wanted,” Harris said.
