Facebook has recently launched an iOS app, Lifestage for people at the age of 21 and under. This app allows the users to upload videos based around their moods such as a happy face, sad face, like, dislikes, etc. and these are then turned into video profiles.

Creator of the app:

This app has been created by a 19 year old Facebook employee Micheal Sayman. He was raised in Miami and learnt the coding technique through Google tutorials when he was just 13. He developed his first app which was about tips for the Club Penguin game and sold it for $1. He earned enough money to help his family during the recession years. His 4Snaps app was ranked No. 1 on the word games chart with a few million users. But then he was invited by Mark Zuckerberg to create a special presentation for its F8 conference and he ended up as an intern on the Facebook’s platform. He spent last two years learning from the world’s most visited social platform and then came up with the idea for Lifestage app.

How it works:

For signing up for Lifestage app, it is not necessary to have a Facebook account. You can choose your high school which will enable you to have a look at the videos that are uploaded by your schoolmates or people who are related with the community. Once 20 individuals from a group start using this app, you can discover what other people are up to and can connect with them.

The basic idea:

The creator of this app is inspired by the Facebook’s origin and wants to impersonate the process for Lifestage. Just like Facebook, through this app you can tell your friends once you start using it. In this app, users will direct other schoolmates to their social network or app. Through this app, Facebook wants to grab the attention of the younger lot. This is how Facebook had actually gained popularity for itself.

Who can see the activity?

Everything that is posted on Lifestage is always public because no one is restricted to download this app. This app is basically developed for students of high-schools who want to explore their school community. According to Tech-Crunch website reports, users who are above the age of 22 are only allowed to view their own profile. It warns the students that the app does not guarantee whether all users are genuine. But if you feel threaten by someone and don’t want your profile to be viewed, just block and report that person.

Competition with SnapChat:

Lifestage is basically intended to capture the attention of the younger lot. This is because a lot of teenagers are getting attracted to the SnapChat. Snapchat is a great platform that has changed the video space. On Facebook the features Poke, Slingshot, Paper, and Notify have a poor track record. Lifestage has a similar feature like “Reach me” text just like “Snapchat me”. And also Facebook has not given enough promotional time to Lifestage which can make it hard for the app to succeed.

According to Dr. Bernie Hogan from the Oxford Internet Institute in a statement to BBC, said

“The lack of privacy settings on this app in its current state is indicative of Facebook ideology- which is to stay open and connected as much as possible”.

Facebook new app “Lifestage” is a great idea for developing videos that actually portray who you actually are. It wants young people to stay connected and share their experiences and interests with the people of their own age group.

The best part of Lifestage is that it is centered entirely on high schools and it not possible to directly message someone until you join a school. It is an opportunity for young people to explore their school community as well as meet new people.