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Facebook Kills Feed Highlights. Time To Declare News Feed Optimization Dead? (Updated)

I knew something was missing from the Facebook homepage for the past few days but not until this morning did I realize what was now absent: highlights. For those unaware of what feed highlights were, they were supposed to be the most relevant stories for a user. I noticed more recently that many of the feed stories weren’t very relevant to me and apparently many other users realized the same thing because now they’re gone.

At one point Facebook’s feed was a filtered system which automatically determined which stories were more relevant but with the Twitterfication of Facebook the feed has since become completely open. The only feed filters are friend lists and applications but if you want to find the most “relevant” feed stories you’re going to have to look elsewhere. FriendFeed has figured out their own model for determining relevant stories and so far they are the only company to maintain such technology.

As for that whole news feed optimization thing, it appears that Facebook is going to leave that up to other developers. With the open stream, developers can theoretically develop their own optimization technologies for determining the most relevant content for a user. The most recent train of thought appears to be to let users determine what content is most relevant through their own custom filters.

Facebook calls them “friend lists” and services like TweetDeck use groups instead. Whatever you want to call the filters, it appears that all of the feed filtering work has been left to the user. I’m honestly a bit confused by this model because isn’t the future of feeds about finding what information is most relevant to the user? There’s now two types of relevance: search relevance and feed relevance.

While users should have the option to view unfiltered feeds, I’d think that an auto-filter would make a lot of sense. Am I the only one that misses Facebook displaying relevant feed stories? Wasn’t the mystery behind Facebook’s feed optimization part of the intrigue?

Update
Many users are saying that they still see highlights. For me, highlights are gone from my homepage completely. I’ve reached out to Facebook to receive clarification on the issue.

Update 2
Facebook replied to say that I was part of a test which was why not all users are seeing it.

-Highlights Killed Screenshot-

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61 Comments »

  1. How did you get an 'All Friends' in your filter list? This makes so much sense but I don't have one in my list.

    Comment by James R. Skinner — August 21, 2009 @ 6:48 am

  2. I still see the highlights. Maybe you have an adblocker, which thinks that the highlights are some ads?

    Comment by Sascha Beier — August 21, 2009 @ 6:52 am

  3. I have an adblocker (it takes out all the ads on FB) and I still see the highlights.

    Comment by Eric Tully — August 21, 2009 @ 6:56 am

  4. I still have it too.

    Comment by Stephanie Leasure — August 21, 2009 @ 6:56 am

  5. Yep, it's all there for me too.

    Comment by Beau Giles — August 21, 2009 @ 6:58 am

  6. I could see it too!

    Comment by Victor Tan — August 21, 2009 @ 7:07 am

  7. Agreed – Highlights are still there. Are you on some kind of beta program where you see updates before the rest of us?

    Comment by Chad Estes — August 21, 2009 @ 7:19 am

  8. Mine are also still there. I haven't seen many changes at all in the last few weeks.

    Comment by Facebook User — August 21, 2009 @ 7:21 am

  9. Mine are there too…..

    Comment by Facebook User — August 21, 2009 @ 7:35 am

  10. Still there for me too. I did notice that ads are appearing for me again, despite having Ad Blocker installed in firefox. I wonder if they changed their layout/source and your ad blockers is now killing the highlights, too?

    Comment by Matt Kruse — August 21, 2009 @ 8:24 am

  11. Hopefully they are missing for some users because they are updating how they choose stories, because my highlight section is there and 90% of the stories BLOW. Not highlights. This has been an issue since the thing was released. Maybe they are putting friend feed in charge of getting the highlights right?

    Comment by Eric Godfrey — August 21, 2009 @ 8:41 am

  12. So let me get this straight. You log on, don't see the highlights section, and immediately write a post with the headline "Facebook Kills Feed Highlights. Time To Declare News Feed Optimization Dead?" without ever even checking with someone at Facebook to see if they had actually killed highlights?

    Comment by Jacob — August 21, 2009 @ 9:05 am

  13. I still have my highlights. And are the ones everyone posts or coments the most.

    Comment by Lulu — August 21, 2009 @ 11:36 am

  14. I hope they keep the highlights. I always miss when my friends post photos in the Stream section, and only figure that out when it's in my highlights for a day or two.

    I haven't had any notifications today, either. :(

    Comment by Nicky H — August 21, 2009 @ 1:06 pm

  15. How did you get a hold of Facebook to find out you were part of a test? My highlights are gone too and I don't want to be part of any test. I enjoyed the highlights and want them back. I am getting angry about it because I have tried contacting them and been unsuccessful. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

    Comment by Jessica Walker — August 21, 2009 @ 3:45 pm

  16. Jacob,

    you just realized that Nick is a loose cannon?

    Comment by Mark Mayhew — August 21, 2009 @ 5:17 pm

  17. My highlights are non-existant. I use firefox but I do not use an adblocker…. I see all the adds, but none of the highlights. I have emailed facebook several times to correct this issue, but nothing has happened yet. If it's gone, it's gone, but that doesn't explain why some don't have it but most do…

    Comment by Angie — August 21, 2009 @ 9:55 pm

  18. …so basically everything you just wrote is untrue. Good journalism!

    Comment by Liam — August 22, 2009 @ 5:53 am

  19. I don't have the highlights and I've been missing them for at least 2 weeks. There are a number of us that have complained about this but facebook is ignoring the issue!

    Comment by candy — August 22, 2009 @ 6:18 am

  20. Mine are gone too…personally I want it back. It's been replaced by an extended "Suggestions" section, which I find totally useless. I have repeated asked for help from Facebook with no response.

    Comment by Janine — August 22, 2009 @ 6:34 am

  21. …and by the way I posted a question in the so-called help section, I have had no response from Facebook but I have had a number of responses from other users that want Highlights back.

    Comment by Janine — August 22, 2009 @ 6:44 am

  22. I haven't had my Highlights for over a week now and I want it back!!! All of my friends still have theirs. Why can't we have it back?!

    Comment by michelle — August 22, 2009 @ 8:26 am

  23. My highlights have been gone for more than two weeks, contacted them several times with no response. Most of my friends highlights are gone as well.

    Comment by Jay — August 22, 2009 @ 8:55 am

  24. I have an account where I have not had highlights in a few weeks. My spouse uses the same computer and browser and has highlights. I just want mine back! I have tried every browser and it is the same.

    Comment by Sue — August 22, 2009 @ 1:04 pm

  25. I still have mine too. It’s probably cache.

    Comment by Abdelrahman — August 22, 2009 @ 5:35 pm

  26. I WANT the highlights back! please? :)

    Comment by ELLE — August 23, 2009 @ 2:38 pm

  27. My Highlights are missing too and I can not get any help. My husband uses the same computer, same settings and he still has his. I want my Highlights back too!!!!! Very frustrating!

    Comment by wendy — August 23, 2009 @ 10:46 pm

  28. My Highlights section is gone too, for over 2 weeks now. I want it back!

    Comment by bloodbubble — August 23, 2009 @ 11:01 pm

  29. i want my highlights back…… now or show me how to get them back

    Comment by joanne fellows — August 24, 2009 @ 3:12 am

  30. you hit the nail on the head when you said that facebook's mysterious newsfiltering system was party of the fun of facebook!!! I never understood how it worked, but always loved that it knew which people I would most likely want to be reading about it. I also miss when my NewsFeed was made up almost entirely of people's wall postings. Those were the good days.

    Comment by Gracie — August 24, 2009 @ 11:36 am

  31. I really want the highlights back, it's an important section

    Comment by Allie Casarda — August 24, 2009 @ 1:20 pm

  32. I haven´t had my Highlights for over 2 weeks, want it back? no just anoying info there anyway…. but an answer of why some have it and some don´t would be great!

    Comment by Facebook User — August 24, 2009 @ 1:58 pm

  33. Another instance of FB changing functionality and their interface right when their users are getting used to it. Do they ever actually talk to any of their users or use analytics to determine if people are using functionality?

    I personally have never used filters on my wall and I doubt other people have either. With the last FB change I thought I would use them, but they seemed so difficult to figure out and time consuming ot set up that I never did it. People are lazy and want software to do the work for them. I'm sure there are some people who will actively filter content, but I bet 80-90% will not – especially if it is difficult and confusing to do.

    Comment by Kim — August 24, 2009 @ 7:06 pm

  34. I am so pissed off when I have something on Facebook and then they take it away and I am left wondering what I did to ruin it. Then I cannot even find how to contact Facebook and register my complaint and then I cannot get my sign in like it used to be and again I wonder if I did something and I waste time trying to figure out what I have done only to find out others are in the same boat, at least they could tell us what they are doing so we dont waste time and get a headache trying to figure things out…………

    Comment by Anna Maria — August 25, 2009 @ 8:26 am

  35. Where is my last comment and where the heck is my Highlights and my sign in is ruined and my husbands Facebook still has highlights and he never used it, and they should tell us what they are up to so I dont waste precious time trying to figure out what I have done wrong, ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Anna Maria — August 25, 2009 @ 8:29 am

  36. i wish i had my highlights back…. i miss them!

    Comment by candy — August 26, 2009 @ 2:48 am

  37. I want my Highlights back, I noticed them missing about a week ago. My OH who uses the same laptop as me still has them. I just want someone to tell me whats happening. I'v tried contacting FB but no joy there. I don't want a suggestions list I want highlights.

    Comment by Chris — August 26, 2009 @ 12:31 pm

  38. Hi thats me above Chris.

    Just wanted to let you know my Highlights are back. Im very happy x

    Comment by Christine Sollis — August 27, 2009 @ 11:36 am

  39. Finally my highlights are back!

    Comment by Stefano — August 27, 2009 @ 11:45 pm

  40. I love the 40 posts from the ass faces saying the writer was out the lunch… And not one retraction when highlights started to go missing! People just love being pricks on the internet with no recourse!

    Luckily it seems they were only gone for a few weeks…

    Comment by todd — August 28, 2009 @ 6:13 pm

  41. Well I am having the same problem which also started a couple of days age, my Highlights are gone too, my husband and i us the same computer, his highlights are still there.

    Comment by Barbara — August 29, 2009 @ 10:42 pm

  42. my highlites gone and showm me some "Summary-Live feed"

    SEE ON THIS PICTURE http://www4.slikomat.com/09/0830/n5-untitl.jpg

    Comment by Goce — August 30, 2009 @ 2:27 am

  43. please, please, please….I want my highlights section back!

    Comment by kelley — September 1, 2009 @ 5:37 pm

  44. my highlights have been gone for 5 days lately..

    get back my highlight pleasseeee

    Comment by dania — September 2, 2009 @ 8:33 am

  45. i want my highlights back, please

    Comment by pale — September 5, 2009 @ 12:01 pm

  46. just lost my highlights… dammit!!!! this sucks!! am I getting them back or what?!

    Comment by norwayface — September 6, 2009 @ 5:22 pm

  47. I WANT MY HIGHLIGHTS BACK!!! My daughter uses the same computer and hers are there. Very Annoying!!!!

    Comment by Stefanie Susol — September 7, 2009 @ 8:38 am

  48. I WANT MY HIGHLIGHTS BAK

    Comment by paola — September 15, 2009 @ 10:25 am

  49. I want my highlights back ,or at least tell me whats happening

    Comment by Lynne — September 16, 2009 @ 5:30 am

  50. I lost my highlights for over a month now and have it replaced with the useless suggestions! how can i get my highlights back???

    same problem on different computers/browsers!

    Comment by Xeos — September 16, 2009 @ 9:10 am

  51. WTF is wrong with Facebook? I lost my highlights section almost two weeks ago and STILL haven't got it back. I have tried to contact Facebook to fix the problem but the so called "help" section is pathetic. What a joke. All I want is my highlights back. What can I do? I'm sick of your stupid suggestions which I have tried to close (by selecting inappropriate/offensive suggestion) but when I log on again, the same suggestion appears. Doesn't Facebook listen to it's users? WE ARE ALL WAITING FACEBOOK FOR YOU TO FIX THE PROBLEM

    Comment by Freyja Eldridge — September 16, 2009 @ 4:31 pm

  52. So, now what? is facebook going to share with us what it's plans are? Kind of at their mercy, huh? And the help section is of no use at all. Would be nice to have a facebook news section for what they're up to. It is about sharing, right?

    Comment by Tiffany — September 19, 2009 @ 9:19 am

  53. i think there is no one that can help us out !!!

    please for gots sake help us out facebook please !!!

    we all want it back as soon a possible !!!

    please please please

    Comment by Shoaib — October 3, 2009 @ 11:11 am

  54. My highlights just disappeared. I have searched and searched to find out why and sent a message to Facebook, but I have not heard anything.

    Based on all of your posts, I am guessing we will not get it back.

    Comment by Officemanager — October 4, 2009 @ 5:45 pm

  55. So I see that my highlights came back after I left my last message on here, i think the next day, actually. Well, they’re gone again! So maybe if I post the link on facebook AGAIN, I’ll get them back again. Wish me luck!

    Comment by Tiffany — October 23, 2009 @ 10:35 pm

  56. HAVING ISSUES w/ UR FEED??? VERY IMPORTANT..FACEBOOK IS BLOCKING ALL UR FRIENDS NEWSFEEDS EXCEPT 250 THEY CHOSE. TO UNDO BLOCK: Goto ur HOME page. Make sure your newsfeed shows LIVE FEED. Then scroll to bottom, click….. Edit Options. You…… will………… then see your NEWS FEED SETTINGS. Change the 250 to 5000 for FB’s friend limit & your feed will work right again. POST THIS & PASS IT ON!!

    Comment by Jacob Peters — October 25, 2009 @ 7:13 pm

  57. I want my Highlights back pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

    Comment by Affaf — October 25, 2009 @ 10:03 pm

  58. I want my highlights back!!!!

    Comment by lesley — October 29, 2009 @ 7:32 am

  59. Taking away highlight did not improve facebook in any way, neither did highlights (when they where still there) bother anyone, SO WHY TAKE IT AWAY! The only thing the so called brains behind facebook achieved by doing this was to anoy users.

    Comment by Dewald — November 3, 2009 @ 6:04 pm

  60. I just realized last night that my Highlights section is gone…BIG BUMMER!! That was helping me showcase my latest blog post link and album pictures for my clients :( I want it back… but I have a feeling that we're not getting it back :(

    Comment by Corinna Hoffman Phot — November 12, 2009 @ 4:53 pm

  61. Mine went away thank goodness. If the test-group thing is true, I am curious if I was selected because I spend more time going through my feed UN-highlighting things than I do actually reading them out of spite and protest. The author states(somehow quixotically)above "The most recent train of thought appears to be to let users determine what content is most relevant through their own custom filters." Duh. I despise having some developer or boardroom geek think that THEY know what is relevant to ME. That's why I despise Timeline as well. Highlights were irrelevant and I avoided them on purpose.

    I write this every chance I get because I use Facebook as a tool and I am tired of Facebook tweaking their tool to death. Change for the sake of change sucks. Take for instance the word processing (dys)function. Who the hell died and made Mark Zuckerberg the god of word processing? Since when does using <Enter> to start a new line in a text domain take a backseat to the ingenious(lol) <Shift> + <Enter>? It doesn't. It's dumb and counter-intuitive.

    And for the last time. If you want to make more money Facebook, then why won't you just let me pay you for it? I would gladly give $5/month for Facebook to simply just leave my page alone. That's $60/year. If even 1 million users did that, the return on the investment of CHANGING NOTHING is obviously a windfall. You don't know what I want Facebook. As the clueless author asks above, "Am I the only one that misses Facebook displaying relevant feed stories?" Yes, it would seem that way genius. Just because the author is incabable of deciding for himself what matters to him doesn't mean the rest of us are.

    Comment by Doug Hinebaugh — February 6, 2012 @ 12:00 pm

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