Facebook Upgrades Chat Service, Users Rejoice

-Facebook Chat Upgrade Icon- Facebook’s chat service has become one of the most used features on the site but for many the service has become little more than an annoyance. The problem being that once you appear online, you would be regularly contacted by people that you don’t know or don’t care to chat with. While you may not want to chat at that moment, it’s nice to have the ability to see who’s currently online.

Thanks to a couple of new features within the chat service, it should no longer be annoying. There is now the ability to filter your friends based on your friend lists and you can even create friend lists from within the chat application. Having users displayed within friend lists is also an optional feature. The most important feature is the ability to control which friends see you online and which can’t.

This will most likely be a lifesaver for the most active Facebook users. Within the past half hour I’ve received multiple emails from users who have been seeing the feature rolled out. While I haven’t been able to use the new service it appears to be extremely useful. Facebook formally announced the new feature on their blog just over an hour ago.

Facebook is increasingly integrating the friend list features into all aspects of the site. Friend lists give users greater control of their privacy and are extremely useful for filtering through feed content. Every user that I’ve spoken to in the last half hour about this feature has been extremely happy have greater control over their chat settings.

While Facebook has stated that they’ll roll out a formal chat developer service in the future, no timetables have been set. One can assume that this friend list capability is what Facebook intends to use as a differentiator from existing chat services. Do you like the upgraded chat application? Do you actively manage your friend lists?

Tags:Chat

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48 Comments »

Yep, this is a good move. Another good move would be multi user chats. It's annoying talking to three people individually who are all friends with each other…

Comment by leon — May 11, 2009 @ 1:18 pm

Brilliant. Now if I have someone in multiple lists, he shows up multiple times in my FB-chat list. That's idiotic.

Comment by Dan Jones — May 11, 2009 @ 1:21 pm

Dan, you might be missing one other subtle point.

You can now create a group called YESCHAT that will be able to see you, and then lock out everyone else.

Forget about managing just at the group level, this gives users the ultimate in control, as granular or as global as they want.

Comment by Ike — May 11, 2009 @ 1:25 pm

While not a change for the worse, it's hard to imagine that this is the feature most desired by users. Making privacy settings easier to use (and find) for the average user seems like a better place for Facebook to focus their attention.

Comment by Kevin Fair — May 11, 2009 @ 1:32 pm

I actually like it. I too have friends in multiple categories but I can't think of a better solution. Dan, if you have one, I'm sure the FB team would consider it.

Kevin

Comment by Kevin Foreman — May 11, 2009 @ 1:34 pm

I quite like it, the ability to have different online settings for different groups is useful. I think the multiple category problem could perhaps be solved by prioritising the filters – the first filter list that a particular friend appears in should be the one used for the chat window.

Comment by Jonathan Preston — May 11, 2009 @ 1:56 pm

Takes up too much screen space for me, particularly with idle users.

Comment by Facebook User — May 11, 2009 @ 2:54 pm

I kinda like it. Finally the option to be online for some people but not for others.

Comment by Facebook User — May 11, 2009 @ 3:14 pm

I didnt goto school with everyone on my friends list, this shit is fucking annoying, QUIT CHANGING SHIT!

Comment by William — May 11, 2009 @ 3:20 pm

This is a lifesaver, I can go online again!

Comment by Jon — May 11, 2009 @ 3:59 pm

Seems to have a serious flaw. I've got all my Facebook contacts/ friends in a single list called "all-friends", as well as in various smaller lists, selectively. But just picking "all-friends" in the chat list shows me ZERO friends online. I have to go and click all my lists (about 7-9 of them) to see everyone. Hardly useful if I currently want to default to "everyone". Am I doing something wrong?

Comment by Raj Kumar Dash — May 11, 2009 @ 5:34 pm

Okay, this is horrible. It says i have 87 friends online and it only shows me 10 wtf.

Comment by Jeremy G Williams — May 11, 2009 @ 7:54 pm

A shame that this change hasn't yet been replicated in the iPhone application.

Comment by Kenzo Yagai — May 12, 2009 @ 12:54 am

Here’s my question:

Let’s say you’ve got a friend that appears in multiple lists. When turning off one list, will this disable the person from talking to you, despite the fact they’re in another list?

From what I can tell, this *isn’t* the case. Meaning that you still cannot block individual people.

Unless… You can choose what lists appear in the chat window. If you disable ALL the lists, then create a “blocked users” list, then turn that list “off” — will the users within it be blocked from chatting with you, despire the fact that they’re in another list, albeit having the list disabled from appearing in the chat window?

(I hope that made sense.) I think the answer is still “no”, which means Chat still doesn’t have the capabilities we’re needing. How difficult is it to just block individual users, I mean really. If they just had one of those little “on/off” switches next to names of people (and not just names of lists), this would be a lot easier to manage.

Comment by Eric Zigler — May 12, 2009 @ 6:51 am

Is anyone else having the occasional person from a list which is turned OFF (and I’ve verified not to be in any lists which is on) show up under ‘Other Friends.’

There’s no way to explain that other than an error in the Chat application.

Comment by Facebook User — May 12, 2009 @ 3:21 pm

can we turn it off… cause i have almost noone in lists, and i kinda want to talk to everyone… if you know what i mean..

Comment by murf — May 12, 2009 @ 8:56 pm

Facebook Group chat.

If you want a Facebook group chat connected to your groups, page or friends you can easily set one up at PosterWall.com.
http://www.posterwall.com

Comment by Hans Jorgen Lysglimt — May 12, 2009 @ 10:55 pm

Haha, what did I say last week? that every week FB changes something else. Every week users get their "this week's homework" – figure it out. I was so ubelievingly right. FB should create instructions manuel now, good god how they know to complicate users lives!!

Ok, this time it might be a positive change (finally 1 out of an endless bad useless upsetting annoying nuber of negative changes) though for the time being I can't tell and won't be able to tell (because I just stopped using FB for that reason).

Comment by X-Active-FB user — May 13, 2009 @ 3:50 am

Finally! The old chat function was absolutely horrible. I haven't used it in years.

Comment by Technology Slice — May 14, 2009 @ 4:24 am

I was never to thrilled with the older version either. This new chat feature seems like it might have cleaned up some of the complaints people had in the past.

Comment by Nick Stamoulis — May 14, 2009 @ 6:25 am

I personally think the new friend's lists are nothing more than a nuisance!!!

I have in excess of 500 friends on facebook, all of whom I know personally and see regularly! I do not have time to seperate them into stupid lists.

It now takes me forever to find somebody on the chat function as university friends show up as school friends, and people I once worked with years ago still show up as workmates.

I do not want to have my chat organised by lists. But don't seem to have any choice.

Comment by strawberry_jelly_tot — May 18, 2009 @ 2:12 am

i cant seem to open chat, do i need to upgrade? if so what? help!

Comment by suzy — May 18, 2009 @ 10:49 am

Why does it say in my chat pop up "Chat (6)" and only three people are listed?

Comment by Kim — May 24, 2009 @ 5:49 am

how can we chat with friends on facebook?

Comment by rohaan ali pasha — May 28, 2009 @ 3:04 am

having problems with facebook chat people can talk to me but i cant talk to them any ideas how to solve that

Comment by lindsay — June 19, 2009 @ 11:15 am

How do I block a person on fb chat only ?

Comment by Shan — July 15, 2009 @ 10:28 am

Please, please can we get a group chat application

Comment by Charleen — September 24, 2009 @ 6:15 pm

Just grow a pair and tell them you don't want to talk right now…jesus how lazy and shady is everyone becoming?

Comment by james — December 21, 2009 @ 9:06 pm

i cant seem to open my chat proply,,,,,

Comment by william east — January 27, 2010 @ 3:07 am

i hate my facebook chat. i dont have problems people seeing me online to chat. my problem is i wanted to switch my facebook chat to pop out chat. i want to see whos online by not opening the chat icon. i cannot convert it because whenever i switch it, it wont work. please help me.

Comment by ashley — February 15, 2010 @ 9:28 pm

why cant you send me my password i have asked to many times not my falt larry

Comment by larry phillips — February 26, 2010 @ 6:20 am

facebook chat has always been the stupidest chat program on earth. Besides the endless bugs that make it not work smoothly, it hasn't had the ability to block certain people. So great…now they've FINALLY listened to people and made a way to block some people and not others. But why the hell did they do it the stupid way they did?

What's with blocking whole lists? Why on earth can't the people at facebook just let us block individual people? What is so friggin hard about that? Groups and lists serve their purpose, but now if I wanna block just one person I have to make a list with only them on it, and then block that list. How friggin dumb!!

C'mon facebook…look at how MSN does it. Their chat program is the easiest and best on earth. Yahoo isn't bad either. Why don't you just do what they do? Everybody will be happy. ICQ is WAY too complicated and stupid so don't copy them. Just do it like MSN. I try to get people on facebook to get MSN so I can chat with them properly.

Comment by steve — February 27, 2010 @ 9:35 am

ON THE CHAT LINE WHERE IT SAYS FRIEND LIST HOW DO YOU DELETE THEM OUT AND ALSO I TRIED TO CREATE A FRIENDS LIST AND IT BLOCKED ALOT OF MY FRIEND HOW DO I UNBLOCK THEM AND DELETE NAMES OF FRIEND THAT APPEAR IN FRIENDS NEXT TO OPTION IN THE LIITLE BOX?

Comment by paula smith — March 8, 2010 @ 6:23 pm

i cat even chat n this whats the poblem

Comment by Hoetta Smith — March 9, 2010 @ 4:59 pm

I’m hating chat for facebook! I have windows 7 and i.e. 8 and I can’t use the darn thing! I click on a friend’s name and they appear offline…I refresh and surprise, they are still online! I have submitted feeback and nothing! Either fix the issue that allows windows 7 to be compatible (and yes, I have added facebook to my compatible list) or get rid of it!

Comment by Deb — March 16, 2010 @ 9:17 pm

I had a virus and had everything wiped off my laptop so how do I upgrade the new version on facebook??

Comment by Andrea — March 22, 2010 @ 9:53 pm

i cant connect to facebook chat

Comment by marifel antonio — April 27, 2010 @ 9:47 pm

someone was blocked me at facebook..someone can help me please

Comment by kevin — July 24, 2010 @ 7:31 am

why has the chat history function been taken away. I used this often and would like it back

Comment by beth — October 7, 2010 @ 12:08 pm

I would like to know how to delete my chat history as that feature as not appeared, in my facebook chat anymore.

Comment by Tasmarie — October 8, 2010 @ 3:19 pm

I have problem with get my chat on my front page on facebook but I notice it on side bottom on the left corner it sayin that chat is only available on newer browsers ? which I don;t know how this has happen

Comment by Stephanie — October 24, 2010 @ 7:35 pm

I would like to have chat on my facebook so please so I can see people can talk to me but can't talk to them and can't connect cuz it sayin that I got have brower newer to be available to chat

Comment by Stephanie — November 1, 2010 @ 5:12 pm

Look I been try get chat in my facebook I haven;t have this problem since I got this computer and the problem is that on bottom on my home page it sayin it chat won't avaiable without newer brower so I really upset I can't find what can't do it I asking you please help get me in chat .

Comment by Stephanie — November 1, 2010 @ 5:29 pm

Hello you can't respond??

Comment by Stephanie — November 1, 2010 @ 5:30 pm

how do you delete friends lists!!??!!??

Comment by abigail — December 31, 2010 @ 11:43 pm

i need to connect to chat on line so i can chat to my friends on line.

Comment by kadian gayle — February 23, 2011 @ 4:31 pm

when i try to go chat on line it say not connect try again.locky me i get to chat online for 1 minnit with a friend an it dont work from there.

Comment by kadian gayle — February 23, 2011 @ 4:41 pm

how can i disable this ? almost all of my friends are online but limited numbers of them are available in my chatbox.