Facebook is rolling out a new feature — Watch Together — which lets you watch series, movies, and other videos with friends using Facebook Messenger.
The new feature comes as social distancing continues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Watch Together lets users in Messenger Rooms watch videos from Facebook Watch together.
This includes some movies and television series, with the Facebook promo showing people watching the show Community together.
“So go ahead and oooh and ahhh over a video by your favorite celebrity, shed a tear over a puppy rescue video, laugh out loud at the latest viral videos, scream during Blair Witch or feel nostalgic while watching your favorite episode of Community,” Facebook says in its announcement.
Interest in watching series and movies online with friends increased as lockdowns took effect in 2020. This led to plugins such as Netflix Party surging in popularity.
Twitch now even lets users hold watch parties of Amazon Prime content on the live-streaming site.
Facebook is now incorporating this trend into its Rooms feature.
It’s unclear, however, exactly which movies and series the social network will be able to provide for streaming.
But guaranteed content includes the original content uploaded and shared on Facebook Watch.
The service is rolling out globally, starting 14 September.
Watch Together is free and will be available on Messenger and Messenger Rooms for the mobile iOS and Android apps.
How to use Watch Together on Facebook Messenger
To use the service, you will need to start a Messenger video call or create a Messenger Room.
You then need to swipe up to access the menu, selecting “Watch Together”.
Select a video from one of the categories such as “TV & Movies”, “Watched”, or “Uploaded”. Facebook will also provide suggested videos.
The Watch Together feature works with up to eight people in a video call. But up to 50 people can watch using Messenger Rooms.
Feature image: Facebook
