Facebook is trying to make ‘poking’ cool again

Facebook’s recent updates to its poking feature aim to revive the nostalgic experience of poking friends on the platform, reminiscent of the early days of social media interactions. The company has enhanced the suggestions for who to poke, simplified access to the poking page through search, and enabled users to poke friends directly from their profiles.

These small adjustments have resulted in a significant resurgence in poking activity, with a 13x increase in pokes over the past month. Surprisingly, the younger demographic, particularly those aged 18 to 29, are driving this resurgence, contributing to over 50% of all pokes.

Poking, one of Facebook’s original features since its inception in 2004, had faded into obscurity as its popularity waned over time. Despite its ambiguous purpose, users often interpreted poking as a form of greeting or playful flirtation.

With the platform’s 20th anniversary approaching, Facebook is reintroducing the poking feature, positioning it as a simple way to reconnect with friends and say “hi.” While many users may not have engaged in poking for years, the revival of this feature prompts them to reconsider its potential as a lighthearted and nostalgic way to interact with friends on social media.