What happened?
Four years ago, Facebook unveiled its own email service, giving users their own ‘@facebook.com’ account and describing the “next-generation messaging” system as seamless, informal and personal”. Now, the social network has killed off the service, admitting that “most people haven’t been using their Facebook email address”.
How will it affect you?
If you were one of the few actually using Facebook email, any messages sent to your account will now be forwarded to your primary email address. This will be the one you used to register with Facebook so make sure to-date address is listed on your profile. Any existing messages will become ‘read only’, so you’ll still be able to view them, but you won’t be able to reply from Facebook.
What do I think?
We’d forgotten this service even existed, so it’s no wonder it’s being killed off. It was always strange that Facebook thought email was the future of online communications, given how much the social network disrupted that idea. Following its recent $l9bn acquisition of the instant messaging service WhatsApp (whatsapp.corn), it’s clear to see where Facebook now thinks the future of online communication lies.
