Facebook is planning some of the most dramatic changes in its history as it scrambles to keep users from abandoning the platform for competitors like TikTok and YouTube. In a move that many analysts see as an admission of defeat, the social network is testing a full-screen, algorithm-driven video feed that looks and feels almost identical to TikTok's core experience. According to an internal announcement by Facebook head Tom Alison, the platform will begin rolling out a “reimagined experience” later this year to a subset of users in select countries, with a broader rollout planned for the United States in 2027.
The new interface, which Alison described as “putting video front and center,” will automatically launch into a vertical, full-screen video stream as soon as users open the app. This marks a significant departure from Facebook's traditional news feed, which for years has been a mix of text posts, photos, links, and short videos. The change is driven by Facebook's observation that “video is where conversations are happening, communities are forming, and even commerce is starting to take place.” The company has not released specific mockups or detailed previews of the new design, but the description strongly resembles the user experience of TikTok and Instagram Reels.
The urgency of this shift is underscored by Facebook's recent user numbers. In the first quarter of 2026, Meta reported that Facebook lost 20 million active users across its family of apps, which includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. While Facebook remains the most popular social media platform globally with over 3 billion monthly active users, it is losing ground to YouTube, which now sits in second place, and TikTok, which surpassed 1 billion monthly active users just three years after its global launch—a pace that Facebook itself took nearly a decade to achieve.
Meta first introduced short-form video features in 2020 with the launch of Reels on Instagram, a direct response to TikTok's explosive growth. Now the company is applying the same strategy to its flagship platform. This is a notable reversal from Alison's own comments in 2022, when he told The Verge that he saw “TikTok chasing Facebook,” rather than the other way around. The latest announcement suggests that Facebook's leadership now acknowledges that the competitive dynamic has shifted.
The full-screen video test is not Facebook's only imitation of rival platforms. The company is also launching a dedicated Seller app—a standalone marketplace tool for sellers who use Facebook Marketplace. The app, simply called “Seller,” allows merchants to track their inventory and sales performance, manage listings, and communicate with buyers. The experience is reminiscent of Craigslist's simple, text-heavy interface, but with modern e-commerce features. Similarly, Facebook recently introduced a Forum app that provides a dedicated space for users to interact with Facebook Groups. The app's design and functionality closely resemble Reddit's subreddit communities, allowing group members to post, comment, and vote on content in a threaded structure.
These moves highlight a broader pattern: Facebook is no longer innovating but rather copying what works elsewhere. Over the past five years, the platform has adopted Stories from Snapchat, short-form video from TikTok, and now marketplace and community features from Craigslist and Reddit. Critics argue that this strategy has turned Facebook into a “jack of all trades, master of none,” diluting its identity without fully replicating the unique experiences that make its competitors successful.
In addition to the new apps, Facebook is overhauling its verification system. Previously, the only way for users to get a verified blue badge was through the paid Meta Verified subscription, which starts at $11.99 per month. Now, the company is offering a free verified badge that users can obtain by completing a simple selfie verification process. The goal is to help users quickly identify authentic profiles and reduce impersonation and misinformation. The free badge will be available to all users, not just public figures or celebrities, and will be linked to a real person's identity through a government-issued ID check.
The verification change is part of a broader effort to clean up the platform and restore trust, which has eroded over years of scandals involving fake accounts, political manipulation, and privacy breaches. By making verification free and accessible, Facebook hopes to encourage more users to confirm their identities, thereby improving the overall health of the platform's social graph.
However, these changes come at a time when Facebook is also grappling with internal turmoil and competition from within Meta's own ecosystem. Instagram Reels continues to grow, and Threads—Meta's Twitter competitor launched in 2023—has gained a loyal following among journalists and celebrities. Some Meta insiders have expressed concern that Facebook's identity is becoming too fragmented, confusing users who once joined the platform for simple social connections with friends and family.
Meanwhile, the tech industry is watching closely to see if Facebook's TikTok-ification will pay off. Early adopters of the test in countries like India and Brazil have reported mixed reactions: younger users welcome the video-first interface, but older users—who still represent a significant portion of Facebook's user base—find the change jarring and disruptive. The company has acknowledged that it may need to offer a toggle or opt-out option for users who prefer the traditional feed.
Historically, Facebook has not been afraid to make drastic changes to its core product. The introduction of the News Feed in 2006, the shift to mobile-first design in 2012, and the adoption of algorithmic sorting all met with initial resistance but eventually became standard. Whether the new video feed will follow the same trajectory remains uncertain, but the stakes have never been higher. With users defecting to newer, more engaging platforms, Facebook's ability to adapt may determine its survival in the second half of the 2020s.
Beyond the interface redesign, Facebook is also experimenting with new monetization models for creators. The platform is testing a revenue-sharing program that gives video creators a cut of advertising revenue generated by their content, similar to YouTube's Partner Program. This could incentivize high-quality creators to stay on Facebook rather than migrating to TikTok or YouTube. Additionally, Facebook is expanding its shopping features, allowing users to purchase products directly from the new full-screen video feed, mirroring TikTok's successful integration of e-commerce.
The timing of these changes is noteworthy. As of mid-2026, the regulatory environment for social media in the United States and Europe is becoming more stringent. The European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) requires platforms to be more transparent about their algorithms and content moderation practices. Facebook's video feed, driven by machine learning algorithms that prioritize engagement, will face scrutiny over potential harmful effects like echo chambers and addictive behavior. The company has stated that it will implement safeguards, such as limiting the duration of continuous video playback and providing users with more control over their feeds.
In the broader context of Meta's strategy, the Facebook redesign is part of a larger push toward immersive experiences. Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly stated that the future of social interaction lies in the metaverse, but the current generation of users still spends the majority of their time on 2D screens. By making Facebook more video-centric, Meta is buying time to refine its virtual and augmented reality products while keeping its legacy platform relevant.
Key facts from the announcement include: Facebook is testing a full-screen video feed that will launch automatically when users open the app; the test will begin later this year in select countries with a preference for video content; the United States rollout is expected in 2027; Meta lost 20 million users in Q1 2026; YouTube is now the second most popular social platform, with TikTok close behind; Facebook is launching a dedicated Seller app for Marketplace (similar to Craigslist) and a Forum app for Groups (similar to Reddit); free verification badges are now available via a selfie process; Meta's earlier 2022 claim that TikTok was chasing Facebook has been reversed.
These developments underscore the intense pressure on Facebook to innovate or risk becoming obsolete. The company's willingness to copy competitors so openly suggests a sense of desperation, but it also reflects a pragmatic strategy to retain its massive user base by offering the features people want, even if they weren't invented by Facebook. Whether this approach will succeed in the long term remains to be seen, but for now, Facebook is doubling down on video and doubling down on clones.
Source: The Verge News