Oliver Haslam·

Facebook Rocket Feed Icon Explained, Here’s What It Does

Facebook has been known for rolling out new features as part of a small pool of test users and then eventually bringing everyone else on board, and that is exactly what is happening right now with the so-called Rocket Feed.

Hidden behind a new Rocket icon in the Facebook mobile app for both iOS and Android, this feature is the next big thing for the News Feed.

Tapping the Rocket Feed icon provides you with a new, personalized News Feed which is based on an analysis of articles, photos and videos that Facebook believes you will enjoy. Basically it analyzes your past behavior to curate all the content in the Rocket Feed. The theory is that it will surface additional content that users would normally not be exposed to.

We are testing a complementary feed of popular articles, videos, and photos, customized for each person based on content that might be interesting to them. We’ve heard from people that they want an easy way to explore new content they haven’t connected with yet.

The Rocket Feed is not the first time that a secondary News Feed has been tested. Facebook did something very similar back in April of last year when it broke news stories that were based on a specific topic out of the normal feed. Thankfully Facebook’s testing highlighted a lack of interest in the new format though, with the idea being ditched on that basis.

Those able to test the new feed will find it on the menu at the bottom of the app on iOS, or the top of the app on Android. If you do not see it though, don’t fret. It just means that you are not part of the test group just yet, but you will likely see it appear soon enough. Hang tight!

Android users could jump the gun if they wish and hop onto the Facebook beta wagon via the Google Play Store, but currently the program appears to be full.

(Source: Wired)

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