Facebook is giving its nostalgic “Poke” feature a bold new push, aiming to appeal to younger audiences through visible placement and playful engagement mechanics.
More than two decades after its inception, the Poke—once a quirky way to nudge friends—has returned with a refreshed interface. Now, users can send a poke directly from a friend’s profile using a prominent new button. Recipients receive a notification, and both parties can track how often they poke each other via a dedicated “Poke count.” This count unlocks special icons—like fire emojis or milestone numbers—to add a gamified, Snapchat-like appeal to the experience.
Meta’s decision follows a significant spike in Poke usage earlier this year, after they made the feature easier to find. Those tweaks reportedly resulted in a 13-fold increase in interactions. The social giant is betting that positioning the playful Poke front and center might rekindle interest among Gen Z users, many of whom embraced features like streaks and badges in other apps.
Still, the rationale behind poking—or why users should care—remains purely subjective. It can be a lighthearted greeting, a flirtatious tap, or just a cheeky reminder that you’re still around. Now, with haptic feedback and visual incentives, Facebook hopes to make poking feel fresh—and habit-forming once again.
