Toronto 
No more Zoom Bombing! Facebook is rolling out Messenger Rooms where-in you can do group video calls with up to 50 people.
According to the news release, you can start a room from Messenger or Facebook and the Room creator has the control of settings and can decide on who can join, how easy a room is to find and whether to enable or share a link. Rooms have built-in privacy, but Facebook will collect data (as it usually does) for ads and “for a variety of purposes including to provide and improve the Rooms product experience and to help keep Rooms safe and secure.”
Features include:
- The Rooms can be locked once a call begins, no one else can join, except a Group admin for rooms created through a Group. Group admin can unlock a Room after the call begins.
- The room creator can remove any unwanted participants.
- If the room creator removes someone from the call or leaves, the room will lock automatically and the room creator must unlock the call for others to join.
- You can leave the call anytime, even if the room is locked.
- You can block someone on Facebook or Messenger who may be bothering you and we won’t inform them. When someone you’ve blocked is logged into Facebook or Messenger, they won’t be able to join a room you’re in and you won’t be able to join theirs.
One can also report a room name or submit feedback about a room if you believe it violated Facebook’s Community Standards.
Facebook is also planning to introduce Rooms for Instagram Direct, increase group voice and video calls with up to eight people on WhatsApp, among other new features.
According to the release, Messenger Rooms is rolling out in some countries this week and will expand to the rest of the world in the coming weeks. It is not clear whether Canada is included in the initial roll-out.
Does anybody know the implementation schedule for Facebook Messenger Rooms, particularly where Canada fits in this schedule? The announcment was over 2 weeks ago, and I have searched almost daily for updated news as to the implementation schedule. Anybody know?