Facebook at Work pilot launches for iOS and Android
Facebook has just launched a pilot program for its ‘Facebook at Work’ initiative in hopes of bringing the social network to the business world.
Many companies take a hard line on Facebook use at work right now, but the new service should make office-based browsing a bit more kosher.
So what exactly changes with Facebook at Work? Well much is staying the same – you’ll have access to the usual features like the news feed, groups, messages, and events.
What’s different though is that it is designed to be used within individual companies, cutting you off from the rest of the outside world.
You’ll also get a brand new employee profile, separate from your core, personal Facebook profile, which will be inaccessible to anyone outside of the company.
Facebook at Work can now be accessed via the desktop website, as well as iOS and Android, although it’s only available for ‘pilot partners’ right now.
This means that should it see success, Facebook will likely roll the service out to the general working public.
It’s not yet clear whether companies will need to sign up a ‘Facebook at Work’ scheme for the eventual rollout, or whether employees can build their own network from the ground up.
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Facebook at Work is all part of Facebook’s attempt to stick it to rival social networks like Google+ and LinkedIn, both of which find strong usage within business life.
It’s probably also spurred on by the fact that Facebook’s user demographic is aging, with young generations flocking to alternative sites like Twitter and Instagram.