Halloween is around the corner, and social media is getting ready. Facebook announced on Thursday the introduction of new ‘Masks’ AR filter for Facebook Live users. The Halloween-themed Masks are currently available for iOS devices only in limited locations.
‘Masks’ for Facebook Live are not the only Halloween feature introduced by the social media giant. Facebook also presented a set of six new Halloween Reactions for its main platform. These Reactions will be available only for the duration of Halloween.
Facebook’s Live Masks represent the company’s latest effort to take on Snapchat’s rising popularity. Many have noted how similar the new feature is to Snapchat’s Lenses. Snapchat will most likely reveal a set of its thematic Lenses just in time for Halloween.
Scare friends with AR Masks on Facebook Live
Facebook knows the importance of worldwide social events like no other platform, so it wants you to be your scariest self just in time for Halloween.
The new Masks filters rely on AR technology, and they are the first major feature update of this kind following Facebook’s acquisition of MSQRD back in March.
MSQRD is a face-tracking app that also adds 3D overlays to the mix to create face filters for pictures and video. The team behind the app presumably played a significant role in the development of Facebook Live’s Masks for Halloween.
How to put on Masks in Facebook Live
The Halloween Masks feature is currently exclusive to iOS users of the Facebook Live video platform. Facebook Live allows people to record and share videos instantly in a similar way to Snapchat.
To put on one of the new Masks filters, users need to prompt the Live Video feed on their home pages. Then, the preview will show the usual options at the top of the screen.
Once there, users have to select the masks icon, and they will find multiple options to make themselves scarier during the broadcast.
Some of the Masks filters available include a skull, a jack-o-lantern, and a witch. The Masks on Facebook Live will be available for iPhone users throughout Halloween. Facebook said the rollout of this feature for Android devices would come in the next few days.
How to use the new Halloween Reactions on Facebook
Facebook has also made available in select countries a limited-edition set of Halloween reactions.
Likes are now a skeletal hand, Love is a heart-shaped candy, Haha is a witch laughing, Wow is a spooky ghost, Frankenstein represents Sad, and a pumpkin shows his disgust for the Angry reaction.
To use them, users on mobile simply have to press and hold the Like button on a post to make the Halloween Reactions appear. In a desktop, users just have to hover their mouse pointer over the Like button.
Both Halloween features are available for users in the United States, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. No word from Facebook on which other countries will get the platform update on their profiles leading up to Halloween.
Source: Facebook
