MessengerProduct/Service
PagesOtherBrandProduct/ServiceMessenger
Be like #Usagyuuun. Celebrate #NationalEatAnExtraDessertDay.
It's our 9th Birthday! 🎉 Here's a look at what we've been up to the last few years from Stan Chudnovsky, VP, Head of Messenger.
Happy 9th birthday, Messenger!
It’s hard to believe, but when Messenger became a standalone app in 2011, it was a novel idea. Today, for most of us, private me...ssaging is part of everything we do from talking to friends and family, connecting with businesses, engaging creators and discussing the latest news or movies. Since 2011, Messenger has evolved a lot. Here are some highlights:
Well over a Billion people use Messenger every month and it is the second most downloaded mobile app of the decade - just behind the Facebook app.
Over the years, we’ve turned Messenger into a fun and engaging messaging app with features like stickers, AR effects, polls, payments, stories and more. In 2018, we redesigned the app and in 2019, we rewrote the app to be twice as fast and one fourth its original size - all without removing many features people know and love.
Since launching our business platform in 2016, millions of businesses today use our services to connect with people - from generating leads and driving commerce to improving customer support. In the wake of COVID, we've only seen this trend increase with nonprofit and government organizations like the World Health Organization using Messenger to share timely and accurate information to keep people safe.
In 2017, we introduced Messenger Kids. It is now in more than 140 countries and has become a popular way for kids to stay connected during the pandemic -- hitting seven million monthly active users this year!
Video calling has become a way to feel present with friends and family even when physically apart. More than 700 million accounts participate in voice and video calls on Messenger and WhatsApp every day. Over the years, we’ve introduced AR filters, games, screen sharing and 360 degree backgrounds to make people’s video calls as fun as hanging out IRL. And, the launch of Messenger Rooms has made hanging out even easier and more serendipitous.
We do all this while continuing to improve the privacy, safety and security of our users. With the help of AI, we identify phishing, scams, fake accounts and other harmful activity - often before it affects our users. In addition to two factor authentication, login alerts and forwarded label alerts, we’ve recently introduced app lock, so people have control over who can see their chats, and proactive safety notices to help people avoid potentially harmful interactions and possible scams without compromising their privacy. If people feel uncomfortable at any moment, we make it easy to report or block someone.
And there is so much more to come - we are now evolving to become a more privacy-focused communications platform across all of the apps in Facebook family, on devices like Portal, and for businesses and creators.
I’m really proud of how Messenger is helping more than a billion people and businesses. Every day, people stay in close touch with their loved ones, spend time together with people they can’t be together with, find their life partners, find food and shelter in the time of natural disasters, celebrate birthdays - thanks to Messenger. It’s rewarding to see how the work we do helps people. And, speaking for all the amazing people who work on the team, we are looking forward to continuing to innovate and help all the people around the world who use our service every day and depend on it.
Happy Birthday, Messenger! 😀
