I'd disagree with the characterization that Facebook is maximizing user engagement with messenger. Rather, they wanted messenger to
1. Be the de facto protocol used by companies
2. Let people spend less time on messenger, and render planning of events efficient
For point 1, this is evident with the mention of the Facebook SDK being used by many apps, thereby rendering the adoption of a messenger API easy. I find the timing of these emails __very coincidental__ since Facebook recently announced an API for WhatsApp that effectively achieves "app-to-person messages" [1]. Based off rapper Ryan Leslie's great success with automating consumer engagement [2], I think this will succeed given a right signal-to-noise balance (also mentioned in the emails!). That said, interesting __anti-trust questions__ also arise, see Twilio, SuperPhone, etc.
For point 2, I frankly welcome messenger facilitating the planning of vacations/outings. It's very common for people my age to say "let's hang out" or "let's go to this concert", yet no one wants to spend the time to plan it. If my non-vacation-planning messages can be hermetically demarcated from every advertiser's eyes, then I wouldn't mind this addition.
Relevant Note: This comes from the perspective of a Gen-Z denizen.
P.S. As an aside, it would be interesting to see the implementation of a cryptocurrency to reward users for engaging with ads. I conjectured this was the purpose behind the ill-fated Libra coin. That said, it's not immediately clear how proof-of-work would be implemented, or if blockchain would be needed at all.
1. Be the de facto protocol used by companies
2. Let people spend less time on messenger, and render planning of events efficient
For point 1, this is evident with the mention of the Facebook SDK being used by many apps, thereby rendering the adoption of a messenger API easy. I find the timing of these emails __very coincidental__ since Facebook recently announced an API for WhatsApp that effectively achieves "app-to-person messages" [1]. Based off rapper Ryan Leslie's great success with automating consumer engagement [2], I think this will succeed given a right signal-to-noise balance (also mentioned in the emails!). That said, interesting __anti-trust questions__ also arise, see Twilio, SuperPhone, etc.
For point 2, I frankly welcome messenger facilitating the planning of vacations/outings. It's very common for people my age to say "let's hang out" or "let's go to this concert", yet no one wants to spend the time to plan it. If my non-vacation-planning messages can be hermetically demarcated from every advertiser's eyes, then I wouldn't mind this addition.
Relevant Note: This comes from the perspective of a Gen-Z denizen.
[1] - https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/pfbid0TGYGr4hijxJdL9CawU...
[2] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PtyXnFVNDw
P.S. As an aside, it would be interesting to see the implementation of a cryptocurrency to reward users for engaging with ads. I conjectured this was the purpose behind the ill-fated Libra coin. That said, it's not immediately clear how proof-of-work would be implemented, or if blockchain would be needed at all.