Facebook To Add Its Name To Instagram, WhatsApp

According to The Information, Facebook is planning to add its name to both Instagram and WhatsApp. "The social network will rebrand the apps to 'Instagram from Facebook' and 'WhatsApp from Facebook,'" the report says, citing people familiar with the matter. From the report: Employees for the apps were recently notified about the changes, which come as antitrust regulators are examining Facebook's acquisitions of both apps. The app rebranding is a major departure for Facebook, which until recently had allowed the apps to operate and be branded independently. The distance has helped both apps avoid being tarnished by the privacy scandals that have hurt Facebook. The move to add Facebook's name to the apps has been met with surprise and confusion internally, reflecting the autonomy that the units have operated under.

But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also been frustrated that Facebook doesn't get more credit for the growth of Instagram and WhatsApp. Associating those apps with Facebook could improve the overall companies' brand with consumers. The 'from Facebook' branding will be visible inside the apps -- users will see it when they log on, for instance -- and elsewhere, such as in app stores. The report also mentioned that Facebook is bringing employees responsible for Instagram's messaging feature called Direct into the team behind Facebook's standalone Messenger app.

Whelp, Mark, let me tell you

[93 Escort Wagon]

”But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also been frustrated that Facebook doesn't get more credit for the growth of Instagram and WhatsApp.”

I expect if they’re still growing it’s despite being owned by Facebook - not because of it.

Re:

[Nite_Hawk]

It wouldn't be the first time an organization suffered from hubris.

Re:

[Cmdln Daco]

The labeling should be 'acquired by Facebook'. They are not really 'from' Facebook, which really can only buy in new things to their tired mainline product.

Re:

[BarbaraHudson]

If government regulators had required this they would be fighting it tooth and nail. This sort of stuff is what tech is about nowadays. No wonder IT is no longer cool, and fast approaching disrespectful.

Re:

[bradley13]

This. Whatsapp provided excellent, secure messaging for the masses. Facebook bought it, and is now destroying the "secure" part of that by peeking at messages before and after transmission. Whatsapp is now compromised.

Time for a new app that the general populace can move to.

Re:

[angel'o'sphere]

What about Telegram or Signal?

Re:

[GameboyRMH]

That would be great, especially if Signal fixes the power guzzlage on phones without Google Play Services.

Big mistake

[Anonymous Coward]

Facebook hasn't been cool in over a decade. That brand is toxic as hell. Despite being owned by Facebook, Instagram doesn't seem to be viewed in the same way. It's a mistake to pollute Instagram with Facebook's toxic brand.

Re:

[bill_mcgonigle]

I agree and this kind of honesty from Zuck, while welcome, is out of character.

Maybe he's been playing with that emotion chip again.

I'll treat this for what it realy is

[bobstreo]

It isn't a re-branding.

It is a warning for potential users to trust these apps and services the same way they trust BookFace.

Re:

[mamba-mamba]

They should rebrand facebook, not insta and whatsapp. People have a positive view of whatsapp and instagram and hate facebook. The two best things that could happen to facebook are 1 get rid of zuckerberg and 2 change the name to something else.

Re: I'll treat this for what it realy is

[astrofurter]

"rebrand facebook"

I propose rebranding it as "Faceboot". Just imagine the advertising slogan:

"If you want a boot on you face - use Faceboot!"

Good.

[Anonymous Coward]

I know far too many people who say "Facebook? Never!", yet happily use WhatsApp or Instagram. Even when I tell them about signal. Because herd mentality.

I wanna see them twitch and wind, trying to get out of that cognitive dissonance! ;)

Re:

[thegarbz]

There's no cognitive dissonance. Not trusting a platform that relies on you making personal information public has nothing to do with using a messaging application that did and does encrypt your communication and not request excessive permissions on your phone.

The only twitching you'll see is in your own mind as you can't figure out how people work.

Re:

[mamba-mamba]

This may be true but misses the larger point which is about branding. Lots of people use facebook but they hate it at the same time. Lots of people don't use it or are actively looking for a way out. Morale at Facebook is low and it is hard for them to recruit. The BRAND of facebook is very tarnished and problably will remain that way indefinitely because it is in a terrible position where anything it does is going to make some people unhappy.

You don't take that shitty tarnished brand and attach it to your

Re:

[BarbaraHudson]

If you want to talk with Facebook users you have to have an account. Not like email, where you don't have to have an account with the same provider as the person who you want to send email to. Interoperability should be a requirement imposed on them.

Re:Avoiding breakup

[GameboyRMH]

This, it's the first step to merging these apps into Facebook itself. They've been using integration to build defenses against a possible break-up for years now, this is just the next step.

Also few people would join Facebook these days, but if they try to drag in legacy Instagram and Whatsapp users, many won't leave.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re: Marketing is full of idiots

[llZENll]

I would guess a huge majority of Instagram users have no idea itâ(TM)s owned by Facebook. Granted these users probably donâ(TM)t care how terrible Facebook is. But there is a percentage of them that will abandon Instagram because of it. Even being owned by Facebook the good thing about Instagram is itâ(TM)s far less insidious.

They're gonna regret this

[drinkypoo]

Some percentage of people use those services specifically because they aren't Facebook. Rub it in their faces and they'll switch.

What an idiotic marketing move

[mamba-mamba]

It seems like Zuckerberg is totally clueless. From a branding perspective, Zuckerberg and Facebook are toxic and in decline. If anything they should be looking at changing the name of facebook to something else. This reminds me of when Kodak (failing dinosaur brand) bought Easy-share and renamed it "Kodak Easy-share Gallery." Thinking that adding the name Kodak would help bolster the Easy-share brand. Nope. Nope. Nope. Putting the words "kodak" on anything other than film is a bad move.

Sorry Facebook. Your

what?

[PinkyGigglebrain]

I honestly didn't know that instagram and WhatsApp are owned by Facebook.

Guess I get to add two more apps to my "never use" list. Good thing I found out before I got too tied into them.

Anyone know some good alternatives?

Re:

[antdude]

Years ago! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org] for the list.

Time to EXIT WhatsApp and Instagram

[shubus]

This was all the trigger I needed to quit WhatsApp especially with it's upcoming backdoor. Say hello to Telegram.

Re: Time to EXIT WhatsApp and Instagram

[astrofurter]

"Say hello to Telegram"

Hellllllo honeypot!