What’s in a name? Well if you ask companies like Google and McDonalds, they’ll probably tell you quite a lot. And now two of the internet’s most widely used sites and apps, Instagram and WhatsApp, are getting new names. Both massive social media and communication apps are owned and developed by Facebook, a fact that not everyone realises, which his part of the necessity behind these minor name changes as the company ha announced that both will now have their names rebranded to “Instagram from Facebook” and “WhatsApp from Facebook,” to display their parent company’s name more prominently.
Business Insider has reported news of the name changes by the company which sees the company trying to leverage its Facebook brand even more. Something which is perhaps a little bit of a controversial decision considering the bad reputation Facebook already has over its many data and privacy issues. Things that were apparent across all of their apps and services, even if people aren’t aware of it.
The other aspect that you could also read into the name change could be an indication that Facebook is exercising more centralised control across all of its teams, as WhatsApp an Instagram were both given a fair amount of autonomy ever since they were acquired by Facebook. Something which has been taking shape for a while though as employees of WhatsApp, Instagram, and VR unit Oculus have already had their email addresses switched to @fb.com.
Facebook’s reasons for the move are not immediately clear, though with Facebook potentially facing antitrust allegations, putting them under one name and showcasing that they are essentially one big ecosystem that is leveraging different apps for different audiences many also be a way of fending off these changes.
Ultimately time will tell if this strategy pays off for the company or if the name of Facebook will simply just scare off more people, even if nothing fundamentally changes in the services themselves
Last Updated: August 5, 2019
Magu マグ
August 5, 2019 at 14:41
“I’ll send you a whatsapp from facebook.”
You’ll what where now?
HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:14
ZuckApp and Instazuck
Yahtzee
August 5, 2019 at 15:26
Meh. After this year I don’t even want to own a damn phone. They can change the name to whatever I will still mostly ignore any message.
HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:36
https://ponycrush.com/
Yahtzee
August 5, 2019 at 15:45
I almost clicked on that damnit
HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:59
Thought you would find joy again in your phone and since Nick is already on there you already have a friend.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/32c39c9ed310c5ff61a8b622f68911cfe918c711cdb1b056ef4f48f26d777757.jpg
HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:59
Thought you would find joy again in your phone and since Nick is already on there you already have a friend.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/32c39c9ed310c5ff61a8b622f68911cfe918c711cdb1b056ef4f48f26d777757.jpg
Yahtzee
August 5, 2019 at 15:59
I’m more concerned how you knew about this.
Is this your coming out Brony time?
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HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:59
Saw it on Nick’s Twitter feed
Admiral Chief Umbra
August 5, 2019 at 14:31
I am so sick of WhatsApp. Apart from the odd joke here and there, the amount I get for work related items, sickens me.
What alternatives do you guys use?
Dresden
August 5, 2019 at 15:26
Telegram.
Yahtzee
August 5, 2019 at 15:26
It’s 2019. Telegrams are something only Trevor will remember
HvR
August 5, 2019 at 15:36
Telegram is the alternative winner for me.
Still experimenting with it but with powerful bot feature makes it a very nice central location to receive all kind of IoT notifications and alarms
Dr Webster Flexington
August 5, 2019 at 20:24
I use Telegram with my family
Magu マグ
August 5, 2019 at 14:41
“I’ll send you a whatsapp from facebook.”
You’ll what where now?