Facebook Adds Animated Reactions, Filters to Video Chat in Messenger
Facebook continues to add features to Messenger, its instant messaging platform that has garnered more than one billion active users.
The latest round of add-ons includes animated reactions, filters, and masks to video chats, as well as the ability to take screenshots.
“Video chats with your friends and family in Messenger just got a whole lot more fun,” says Nora Micheva, product manager for Messenger. “You can now share your emotions with a reaction, add a filter to feel like your best self, make someone laugh with a bear mask, and even take pictures of your time together.”
The five Messenger emoji icons can now amplify emotions in video chats and, as Micheva points out, most reactions have different versions depending on whether your face is on or off the screen. Users can also choose from a variety of filters, ranging from subtle lighting tweaks to bold color changes.
Many of the masks and animated effects are activated by certain cues, such as masks with hidden effects that trigger from certain facial movements, while animations can be activated be gestures such as waving your arm.
Micheva says that the Messenger community has given Facebook positive feedback for its reaction emojis.
