TL;DR
Get everyday helpers delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Meta says its Forum app, which brings a user’s Facebook Groups together, is available to download in the U.S. on iOS and Android. The company is testing a new member recognition role, AI-assisted ways to explore group discussions and topic labels for finding related posts.
Meta has announced new features for Forum, its app for people who want to spend more time in Facebook Groups, and says the app is available to download in the United States on iOS and Android. The tests add tools for finding group discussions, recognizing helpful members and exploring posts by topic.
Forum syncs with the groups a person belongs to on Facebook, bringing those communities together in one place so users can see new activity and join conversations. People can sign in with a Facebook account to find their existing groups and discover others. Meta said it began testing the app in May 2026.
One feature in testing is a new role for members whose contributions help a group. Meta says it replaces contributor badges and the group expert role, and is based on the quality and value of a member’s participation. Examples include answering questions, sharing firsthand experience, giving practical recommendations and starting conversations. Members who receive the role get a new badge and benefits such as faster post publication. Posts remain subject to Meta’s Community Standards.
Group admins can grant the role to members they identify as helpful, while Meta says it will also nominate members for admins to consider. Recipients are notified and can remove the role themselves. Meta says the role is starting to test on Forum in the U.S. and on Facebook globally.
Forum’s Ask feature uses AI to highlight existing posts and comments relevant to a user’s question. Results can come from groups the user has joined as well as public groups they have not joined, and users can open the original discussion. Meta is testing comparisons of recommendations for choices such as running shoes, gifts or books, and suggested questions based on recent searches. The company is also testing topic labels on posts, such as Solo Travel or Korean Food, which lead to more conversations on that subject.
New Ways to Find Group Advice
Forum gives Meta a dedicated place to organize activity from Facebook Groups, which can make communities easier to follow for people who already use them. The app’s Ask feature is designed to surface existing conversations as responses to questions, while links back to discussions let users read the source posts and comments. That could help people find practical experience shared by group members without searching each group separately.
The recognition test also changes how some groups may identify valued contributors. Admins retain a direct role in granting the status, and Meta says it will nominate members as well. The faster publication benefit may affect how quickly recognized members’ posts appear, but Meta has not described the terms or scope of that benefit. The tools are still being tested, so their effects on group participation and discovery are not yet known.
From Facebook Groups to Forum
Facebook Groups are communities organized around shared interests, activities or experiences. Meta describes Forum as a purpose-built app for people who want to go deeper into those communities. It connects to groups on Facebook rather than presenting itself as a separate set of communities: users log in with Facebook, and the app brings together groups they already belong to while also offering ways to find new ones.
Meta’s announcement marks a new stage in a test that began in May 2026. The company says it is adding features based on how people use Forum and plans to share more about tools for admins in the coming weeks. The announcement does not say when testing will end or whether the app will expand beyond the U.S.
““Forum is a purpose-built app we’re exploring for the people who want to go deeper on Facebook Groups.””
— Meta, in its Newsroom announcement
Testing Scope and Availability
Meta has not said how long the feature tests will run, how many people or groups are included, or when Forum might become available outside the United States. It also has not provided details about whether or how the app may change before a broader release.
The announcement does not explain how Ask selects or ranks posts, how it handles conflicting advice, or what safeguards apply to its AI summaries beyond its description of highlighting existing posts and comments. The criteria for Meta’s nominations of potential top voices are also not specified. These details remain unanswered in the announcement.
More Admin Tools Expected
Meta says it will share more about how it is building for group admins in the coming weeks. The company also says it wants to hear from the community as it continues building Forum, but has not announced a date for another update or a wider release.
For now, people in the U.S. can download Forum on iOS or Android and sign in with Facebook. The new recognition role is being tested on Forum in the U.S. and on Facebook globally, while the Ask and topic discovery features are described as tests within Forum.
Key Questions
What is Forum?
Forum is a Meta app that brings together a user’s Facebook Groups and offers tools for finding discussions and exploring communities.
Where can people download Forum?
Meta says Forum is available in the United States on iOS and Android. Users sign in with a Facebook account.
What does Ask do?
Ask uses AI to highlight existing posts and comments from Facebook Groups that relate to a question. It can show discussions from groups a user belongs to and public groups they have not joined.
How does the new member role work?
Admins can grant the role to members they view as helpful, and Meta says it will also nominate members. The role includes a badge and benefits such as faster post publication; members are notified and can remove it.
When will Forum be available elsewhere?
Meta has not announced plans or a date for availability outside the U.S. The company says Forum is still being built and tested.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
