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Facebook releases ‘Rooms’ for iPhone, a chat room app that lets you go anonymous

Facebook is today unveiling the latest app being released under the company’s Creative Labs project that recently released the new Paper, Slingshot, and Mentions apps. The new app, called Rooms, is described by Facebook as a meeting place inspired by early Internet chatrooms and web communities: Rooms lets you create places for the things you’re into, and invite others who are into them too.

A room is a feed of photos, videos, and text – not too different from the one you have on Instagram or Facebook – with a topic determined by whoever created the room. Early users have already created rooms for everything from beat boxing videos to parkour to photos of home- cooked meals. There’s even a room called “Kicks From Above” that showcases photographs of cool shoes in cool places.

Facebook also notes that Rooms are highly customizable with the ability to change text, emoji, cover photos, colors, and member permissions with many other customization tweaks coming in future updates. The company makes a point of noting users can remain anonymous if they choose and change their names at any time:

That’s why in Rooms you can be “Wonder Woman” – or whatever name makes you feel most comfortable and proud. You can even create different identities for different contexts. In my room for technology industry discussions I am “Josh” but in another about backpacking travel I am “jm90403” – a homage to my hometown zip code. Sometimes I want to go with my real name and sometimes I prefer a nickname. It depends.

The new Rooms app is available on the App Store now for iPhone.

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Comments

  1. Kimberly Jeans - 9 years ago

    Welcome stalkers…

  2. Joel Medina (@zhugzug) - 9 years ago

    “the item you wanted to buy is no longer available =P”

  3. “The item you tried to buy is no longer available”

  4. mIRC on steroids!

  5. mcshively - 9 years ago

    No longer available.

  6. xprmntr - 9 years ago

    cant dl it

  7. xzaer - 9 years ago

    We all know how its gonna end up.

  8. tomtubbs - 9 years ago

    There’s a difference between multiple identities and anonymous. Especially considering Facebook is running the app.

  9. PUHLEESE!!! The only time the two words, “Facebook” and “anonymous” should be used in the same sentence is like thus: With Facebook, you’re never anonymous.

    • Mosha - 9 years ago

      Yes, yes, yes, but don’t take this app out of context. The APP is designed so that you remain anonymous within the constraints of a chatroom, where by divulging your personal details to those you’re speaking to is completely voluntary and you may be disguised behind a pseudo nickname. Put it best by the APP description, “Be whoever you want to be: Choose nicknames for yourself, real or made up.” So it’s anonymous to the extent that you can don’t need to display your real name.

      Secondly, while owned by Facebook. It’s completely separate from Facebook and does not require anyone have an FB account or have any function of importing friends.

  10. Rooms, because I want a camera roll full of QR code screenshots…

  11. Brent Jones - 9 years ago

    Got to wonder what the clear benefit is of having yet another anonymous online chat platform…? And are there any real marketing applications to this? Will need to check out in more detail later.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.