Facebook invented the perfect stalking tool — but it won’t let you have it
Facebook is testing a simultaneously useful and creepy feature for profiles.
I opened my Facebook profile Friday morning and discovered a tiny new box at the top, below my profile picture—a search bar.
But doesn't Facebook already have a search bar? Yes, they do, but this one apparently is limited to searching within my own profile. The search bar also appears on every one of my friend's profiles for searching within theirs.
It's not a new test, and unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for all of us, it's going to be discontinued, according to Facebook spokesperson.
Perhaps it's because much of the functionality is already within the main search bar. Let's say I wanted to find embarrassing posts between me and my ex that feature the word "party." I could simply type my name and his name along with the word "party" and it would—most likely—surface anything featuring all of the above.
But that's a little confusing. The individual search bars allow for more focused stalking, I mean, searching.
Facebook has been creating more search features, including "Latest Conversations," which surfaces the most recent public posts about a particular topic.
So long, profile search bar. I guess you didn't fit into Zuckerberg's Community narrative.
Topics Facebook Social Media
Kerry Flynn is a business reporter for Mashable covering the tech industry. She previously reported on social media companies, mobile apps and startups for International Business Times. She has also written for The Huffington Post, Forbes and Money magazine. Kerry studied environmental science and economics at Harvard College, where she led The Harvard Crimson's metro news and design teams and played mellophone in the Band. When not listening to startup pitches, she runs half-marathons, plays with puppies and pretends to like craft beer.
