Meta tests Reddit competitor: New app “Forum” for Facebook groups
Meta has released a new app called Forum, transforming Facebook groups into a Reddit-like discussion platform – including AI and pseudonyms.
Meta has quietly released a new app for iOS that focuses on Facebook groups. The application, called “Forum,” is aimed at users looking for deeper discussions and question-and-answer formats – a concept that strongly resembles Reddit. Currently, the app is only available in a few markets, including the USA. An official launch date for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland has not yet been set.
Closely integrated with Facebook
As indicated by the entry in the Apple App Store, Meta sees Forum as “a dedicated space for deeper discussions, genuine answers, and the communities that matter to you.” The app requires iOS 18 and a Facebook account. Existing groups, profiles, and activities will be automatically transferred. What users post in Forum also appears in the respective Facebook groups – and vice versa. The app was discovered by Geekout founder and social media analyst Matt Navarra. He describes the app on Threads as “very Reddit-coded” and highlights the focus on recommendations and “real answers from real people.”
The main difference from the Facebook main app lies in the feed: Forum exclusively displays content from groups – no posts from friends, no pages, no Reels. Users can also post under a pseudonym, similar to Reddit, although group admins can still see the real identity. Upon first login, the app asks for topic preferences and suggests suitable groups.
As expected, the new app also uses artificial intelligence: A tab called “Ask” summarizes answers from various groups, so users no longer have to search each community individually. The original posts from which the AI draws its summaries are linked. For admins, Meta provides an AI assistant to help with moderation and community management. Meta emphasizes that admins retain full control and can continue to use their existing tools in Facebook.
Transparency and data protection remain vague
Meta has not yet documented how exactly the AI prioritizes content, which signals determine the ranking, and whether the AI functions can be switched off. In the App Store, the company lists a wide range of collected data, including health and financial data, location, search history, and sensitive information – even though Forum primarily processes group content. For a potential launch in the EU, this is likely to raise questions, particularly concerning the GDPR and the AI Act.
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Reddit stock reacts – Meta tests quietly
After the new app became known, Reddit's stock fell by about six percent. Analysts see Forum as an attempt by Meta to strengthen its position in the market for public discussions and niche communities. As early as 2014, Facebook launched a standalone groups app but discontinued it in 2017. Forum is now the second attempt – this time with significantly more AI.
At the app's launch, Meta merely stated that it is testing “many new products publicly to see what people find interesting and useful.” Unlike Reddit, which is increasingly aggressively pushing iOS users into its own app, Meta is currently relying on a quiet test run for Forum without any visible app compulsion.
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