In Messenger Rooms, you don’t need to schedule a call with someone. Instead, you can share an open room on your Facebook News Feed, Groups and Event, and wait for people to join. Facebook will eventually add ways to create rooms on Instagram Direct, WhatsApp and Portal.
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Along with the ability to join a room without an account, Facebook is making Messenger Rooms accessible by not requiring any additional downloads; You can join directly from your phone or laptop on Facebook or Messenger. Rooms will roll out to some (unspecified) countries this week and will be available globally in the coming weeks.
Facebook Messenger Rooms filters and backgrounds
Facebook is bringing its AR tools to Messenger Rooms so you can change your background on the fly or add silly filters when the conversation grows stale. And AR effects will let you celebrate birthdays so get ready to blow out some digital candles. Additionally, Rooms users will have the option to add 360-degree backgrounds to their video so you can enjoy “beautiful and iconic spaces” from the safety of your home. Good lighting is crucial for improving video quality so Facebook is adding 14 camera filters that bring ambient lighting to your face and surroundings.
Facebook Messenger Rooms privacy
Facebook has faced harsh criticism for its privacy policies in recent years. To avoid further flak, the company promises that videos in Rooms, while not end-to-end encrypted, are not viewed or listened to by Facebook (WhatsApp video calls are encrypted). There are also measures in place to prevent Zoombombing, or disruptions caused by uninvited guests. To that end, room creators can keep chats locked so only invited guests can join, and any participants can be kicked if they are misbehaving. You can also report a room name or submit feedback about a room if it’s violating the Facebook Community Standards.