Facebook allows you to group your contacts, needed features still missing

Filed under: Web services, Social Software

Facebook allows you to group your contacts, needed features still missing

by Jason Harris Dec 19th 2007

In a move to add even more functionality to their site, Facebook has quietly rolled out Friends grouping. This long expected feature enables you to make different groups of friends such as "High school buddies", "Co-Workers", or "Ex-boyfriends".

To start making your own groups, simply log into Facebook. Next, click on Friends in the upper nav bar and you'll see the option to start creating new friend groups. Simply name a group and start typing in the names of those you'd like assigned. It is also pretty easy to select multiple friends at a time by clicking on "Select Multiple Friends". That way you can also select your buds by their pictures.

Facebook friend groups allow you to send messages to specific groups. However, what is missing is to control what information is available from your profile. For example - do you really want your co-workers seeing those drunken photos from the party you had last weekend? We thought so.

Even though its great Facebook has given us a little bit of added functionality, we're waiting for the whole package. They aren't going to be able to compete with the likes of LinkedIn when it comes to attracting a 'professional' audience until you're able to filter content based on your groups. Why is this? Ask the guy who lost his job after his boss found the photos available in his Facebook account.

Tags: facebook, groups, social networking, SocialNetworking

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Russell said 3:48PM on 12-19-2007

alot?? seriously?

downloadsquad said 5:47PM on 12-19-2007

It would be nice if you could display a newsfeed for only a certain friends list. I don't want to know every single update for every single friend.

Jay said 5:51PM on 12-19-2007

Does anyone know if the "friend" can see what group they're in on your list?

catchwa said 11:54PM on 12-19-2007

There didn't seem to be an obvious way to delete a group, either. They never seem to think through new features very well which is sad.

Sam said 8:06AM on 12-20-2007

it would be nice to rearrange the friends in each list...
along with everything you said in this post..

Thomas Han said 5:03PM on 12-28-2007

cool, I'm yawning in the screenshot, heehee

Steve said 2:09PM on 1-03-2008

The guy in the story you linked to didn't lose his job. He just got poked fun at by his boss for dressing like a fairy at a halloween party. Mind you, he did lie to his boss and play hooky from work, but neither of those things are Facebook's fault.

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