Facebook Launches Home: Social Giant Attempts to Control Android Interface

In April 2013, Facebook (predecessor to Meta) unveiled its new user interface application for Android phones, "Home," at its Menlo Park, California headquarters. The application was designed to replace the standard Android home screen, allowing users’ phone displays to be entirely dominated by friends' News Feeds, chat bubbles, and Facebook's social features.

Facebook attempted this aggressive approach to elevate itself to the operating system layer, solidifying its central position in the global mobile internet. However, due to the interface’s overly intrusive takeover of the phone experience, user reception to the invasive design was generally poor, ultimately leading to the project’s failure. Nevertheless, the "Home" attempt still demonstrated the strong ambition of large social media companies to control the gateway to users’ digital lives.