Facebook relives those 1990s glory days with anonymous chat app Rooms

Facebook has released Rooms, a new anonymous sharing app that allows users to create invite-only chat room based around any theme.

16:50 24 October 2014

Facebook has announced the release of Rooms, a new anonymous sharing app that allows users to create invite-only chat rooms. The standalone app, which does not need a Facebook login, does not require any personally identifiable information. A user can join the chat rooms through a QR code that can be publicly or privately shared. All the messages sent through Rooms will be stored on Facebook servers.

Although it is a standalone app that is not integrated with Facebook, Rooms will be using the same community standard as the social networking site. Content can be flagged for spam, threat, and bullying. Users who violate terms of service can be suspended or banned by a Room moderator.

Here’s the official summary of the service.

Rooms lets you create places for the things you're passionate about. Pick a topic, customize the look and feel, be whoever you want to be and share with others. It's perfect for the things you love and interests that make you unique.

- Pick a topic: Create a home for people who are as into the topic as you are.
- Customize the look and feel: Pick a color, choose an emoji for your like button, and more!
- Be whoever you want to be: Choose nicknames for yourself, real or made up.
- Share with others: Invite other people so you can share photos, videos, and notes with them.

Chat rooms were all the rage in the 1990s during the boom period of internet communications but since fell out of favour with the rise of smart phones and eventually quickfire apps such as SnapChat.