Goal has quietly launched Forum, a standalone iOS app focused on Facebook groups, aiming to attract reddit users. The app appeared on Apple’s App Store and was first noticed by Matt Navarra of Geekout Newsletter.
Meta has not made any formal announcement about the launch and describes it as part of its usual process of publicly testing new products to see what works.
To use the Forum, you need a Facebook account, and your existing Groups membership, profile, and activity transfer seamlessly from Facebook to the new app.
How is the forum different from Facebook groups?
The forum removes most of the Facebook feed and focuses primarily on conversations within Groups. The main feed focuses on group discussions, rather than a mix of posts from friends, pages, and algorithmic suggestions.
The app uses anonymous usernames similar to Reddit. Group administrators can see a user’s real identity, but other members only see the username they chose during interactions.
New users are asked to select topics that interest them, so the Forum will display content from groups they are not yet a part of. Everything shared through the Forum continues to appear in the corresponding Facebook group and posts made directly on Facebook are also visible within the Forum.
Integrated AI features, context and application intent from previous Meta groups
The forum has two artificial intelligence tools. One, called Ask, combines responses from multiple groups to provide answers without users having to search each community individually. The other is an AI assistant for group administrators, which aims to help with moderation and community management.
Meta has not provided details about the underlying model or clarified whether the content of the groups is used to train the AI.
Meta launched a standalone Facebook Groups app in 2014, but shut it down in 2017, saying it would focus on integrating Groups into the main Facebook app. Recent signs suggest that Meta has reversed that decision and now sees Groups as a distinct product that deserves its own dedicated space again.
The move positions Groups ahead of Reddit, highlighting its value as a place for user-driven recommendations, advice, and expertise. Many users often add “Reddit” to Google searches for such content. Meta already manages millions of groups covering similar topics, and the new Forum app aims to offer a more discussion-oriented experience for that content.
Forum app availability on iOS and what’s coming next
The forum app is currently available on the iOS App Store in the United States. Meta has not announced when it will launch on Android or other regions. The company describes the app as one of many products it is publicly testing to gauge user interest, suggesting its launch may still be in an experimental stage.
