Facebook Messenger has rolled out Messenger Rooms for topic-based chats with random strangers.
Facebook Messenger will allow users to talk to random strangers via a service called Messenger Rooms, which aims to encourage conversations with people who share the same kind of interests. It was known as the Facebook Rooms app before it was killed back in December last year.
The Messenger Rooms is a public chat room where a user can talk about any particular topic to any stranger. The area of interest will be set by the room moderator who creates the group chat. The option is available inside the Messenger app where users can create groups and invite others who share the same interests.
The Messenger Rooms is similar to Reddit. The total number of members per room is capped to 250 - it could be increased in the future.
As far as privacy and security are concerned, there are chances that a stranger in a chat room on Messenger Rooms might try to talk to the user into something that he or she does not want to do. There are also possibilities of other things such as someone going off topic or choosing to say something very offensive. In this case, the moderator of that room is free to remove that particular person from the chat room without asking anyone.
There are rumors that Facebook is testing a new Snapchat-like feature called Messenger Day for the Messenger app to allow users to add graphics or text to their pictures and short videos before sharing them with friends. Currently, there is an option for Secret Conversations for end-to-end encrypted chats in the Facebook Messenger. However, these secret conversations can only be read on one device and does not support rich content such as GIFs and videos.
This new messaging feature for the Messenger Rooms is currently being tested only in Canada and Australia. If it goes smoothly, then it should soon roll out to other markets.