Meta's second attempt at a standalone Groups app arrived this week with Forum, a Reddit-like app that pulls Facebook Group conversations into a dedicated hub with AI-powered search and moderation.
Discovered by Geekout Newsletter's Matt Navarra in the App Store on May 21, Forum is described as "a dedicated space for the conversations that matter most to you." Meta is positioning it as a place for "real answers" from "real people," a direct nod to the community Q&A dynamic that makes Reddit valuable.
Unlike the main Facebook feed, which mixes friends, Pages, and algorithmic recommendations, Forum shows only Group conversations. The app asks new users what content they want to see and can recommend Groups aligned with those interests.
Forum requires a Facebook account. Users can post with anonymized usernames, but Group administrators can see their real identities. That limits the anonymity that defines Reddit, but it also means Forum inherits years of existing Group conversations, local recommendations, and hobby communities without waiting for users to rebuild them.
Meta has added two AI features to differentiate this attempt from the first standalone Groups app, which the company killed in 2017. The first, called Ask, pulls answers across multiple Groups so users don't have to search each one individually. The second is an AI moderation assistant designed to help admins manage their communities.
"We test lots of new products publicly to see what people find interesting and useful to their experiences across our apps," a Meta spokesperson told Engadget, confirming Forum remains in testing.
Forum is currently available as a free iPhone app in the U.S. App Store.
It is unclear how widely the test will extend or when an Android version might arrive. Some features may vary by country or region.
