Facebook 'Others' Folder

There has been a mixed reaction to Facebook's changes to its Messenger service, announced this week.

In the next few days it will phase out the Other inbox, where members currently receive messages from people they are not Facebook friends with. Some members have expressed concern about harassment and spam gaining increased visibility.

Facebook users who run groups are also affected as they often communicate with group members who are not friends. Once the phasing is complete, all messages from people outside of a member's friend network will arrive as "requests" which the recipient can accept or reject.

Facebook sees sharp drop in profits

Facebook has reported a sharp drop in profits, partly due to increased spending on research and development.

The social network site made a profit of $64m (£41m) in the final three months of 2012, compared with $302m a year earlier.

Revenue was up 40% at $1.6bn, largely due to a big jump in advertising revenue, a quarter of which came from mobile platforms.


Shares in Facebook fell by almost 6% in after-hours trading in New York.

The shares launched on the Nasdaq stock exchange in May at $38, and had halved in value by September.

They have since recovered to stand at $31 at the close of trading on Wednesday. The drop in after-hours trading suggests the shares will fall back again when full trading resumes on Thursday.

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