Nostalgia Play: Meta Brings Back 'Poke' Option On Facebook
Users can also use the Facebook.com/pokes link to select the friends they want to poke and see the pokes they have received from other Facebook users.
The poke feature on Facebook is making its return to the platform. Although the feature never really left, Meta has announced an update, making it easier for Facebook users to 'poke' their friends.
"Sending pokes just got easier!" Facebook posted, revealing that users can now directly poke back at their friends through their main profile page.
Users can also use the Facebook.com/pokes link to select the friends they want to poke and see the pokes they have received from other Facebook users.
The pokes count will grow every time two set of users poke each other. Users can also dismiss pokes.
Facebook's new poke-tracking element is likely aimed at younger users, who are used to the gamification of social media apps. It is similar to the Streaks feature available on Snapchat.
The poke feature on Facebook has an interesting history and is one of the platform's oldest features.
During Facebook's early days, the poke feature was introduced as a virtual way of getting a friend's attention, of sorts.
However, through the years, as the platform evolved, the usage of the poke feature reduced greatly, and the option faded into the background.
Although Facebook never actually disabled the feature, it was made harder for users to find. But that is set to change now, following Meta's most recent announcement.
Meta had earlier tried to revive the poke feature in 2024, making it easier for users to find the option. This led to a 13x spike in usage of the poke feature, Meta had confirmed at the time.
Now, the company is once again trying to revive an age old feature as they look to resonate with Facebook more with the younger audience.
