Facebook is launching a new feature for Messenger called Message Requests, which makes it easier for people to receive (or ignore) messages from people who aren't their friends.
Previously, messages sent from people who weren't friends (or friends of friends) went to the "Other" category of your inbox, a separate section within the Messages tab on Facebook's website. These messages were easy to miss, since new messages that went to the "Other" section didn't show up in notifications.
With Message Requests, which will start rolling out in the coming days, Facebook is showing how these types of messages are used. Messages that previously went to “Other” will now appear in Messenger as message requests. Users can read the message and choose whether or not they want to respond without the other person knowing.
“Now, the only thing you need to talk to anyone in the world is their name,” writes David Marcus, who leads Messenger at Facebook. In a post on Facebook, Marcus notes that the new feature will only apply to new messages from people you don’t already know. Messages from Facebook friends, friends who have your number saved on their phone, and those you’ve already messaged will still go straight to your regular inbox.
Calling it a "fundamental change," Marcus hints that there's still a lot more we can expect from the Messenger in the coming months, as they "continue to improve the ways you find the people you want to connect with."
