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Right now, joining a Facebook Group is as simple as sending a join request. Once any existing member or an admin accepts that request, you’re in. Adding a friend to a group you’re already in is just as easy — one click and they’re a member.
But Facebook is planning to change how group membership works. Under the new system being tested, anyone requesting to join a group will need to answer three questions first, which admins will then review themselves. The questions will be group-specific, and reviewing the answers is meant to make it easier for admins to decide whether to approve a request. People invited to join a group will also need to answer the same three questions. While this could be a good thing for groups overall, it does add some friction for people trying to join — and could be a real hurdle for those unfamiliar with the group’s subject matter.
The system hasn’t rolled out yet and won’t for some time, but Facebook is reportedly working to implement it soon. Here’s more detail on the story.
Facebook will require users to answer a few questions before they can join existing groups.
When someone requests to join a Facebook Group, the admin will only approve entry once the requester has answered three questions. Previously, all it took was a single admin or member accepting a join request. Under the new system, Group Admins will only approve members likely to be a genuine fit, helping keep out trolls and spam — according to a report from TechCrunch.
Prospective group members will be able to answer using up to 250 words, and only the admin and moderators will be able to see those answers — Facebook says the responses won’t be posted to the group itself. People invited to join a group will need to answer the questions right away, and will also receive a linked notification reminder.
According to the report, applicants will also be able to revise their answers up until the point their request is reviewed. The idea behind this kind of screening is to let admins quickly verify whether someone requesting to join is a genuine fit, and to help people looking for things like stock trading tips or organizational support connect with the right communities faster, according to a Facebook spokesperson.
Facebook expects the new system to help admit the right new members to groups and to reduce instances of people who don’t belong ending up in a group.
However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said back in February that this Group feature isn’t yet available for group leaders to use. Company officials say they hope to roll out updates related to Facebook Groups soon, giving admins and moderators the ability to set more precise rules and permissions.
Useful updates that can guide valuable leadership will give Group Admins more control over who can pick questions and who gets added to a group. It will also let online communities connect with offline communities, coordinating between them — a key part of building stronger communities overall. That said, Zuckerberg said in February that Facebook hasn’t yet built out features to directly support group leaders themselves. Facebook first tested Group Admin features in Chicago back in June. The company hopes to expand the use of Group updates going forward, giving admins and moderators more precise rules and permissions to work with.