Facebook's Next Target: The Religious Experience

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/25/us/facebook-church.html

Facebook’s Next Target: The Religious Experience
The company is intensifying formal partnerships with faith groups across the United States and shaping the future of religious experience.
By Elizabeth Dias
July 25, 2021

...

For months Facebook developers met weekly with Hillsong and explored what the church would look like on Facebook and what apps they might create for financial giving, video capability or livestreaming. When it came time for Hillsong’s grand opening in June, the church issued a news release saying it was “partnering with Facebook” and began streaming its services exclusively on the platform.

Facebook, which recently passed $1 trillion in market capitalization, may seem like an unusual partner for a church whose primary goal is to share the message of Jesus. But the company has been cultivating partnerships with a wide range of faith communities over the past few years, from individual congregations to large denominations, like the Assemblies of God and the Church of God in Christ.

Now, after the coronavirus pandemic pushed religious groups to explore new ways to operate, Facebook sees even greater strategic opportunity to draw highly engaged users onto its platform. The company aims to become the virtual home for religious community, and wants churches, mosques, synagogues and others to embed their religious life into its platform, from hosting worship services and socializing more casually to soliciting money. It is developing new products, including audio and prayer sharing, aimed at faith groups.

“I just want people to know that Facebook is a place where, when they do feel discouraged or depressed or isolated, that they could go to Facebook and they could immediately connect with a group of people that care about them,” Nona Jones, the company’s director for global faith partnerships and a nondenominational minister, said in an interview.

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[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. A canny move on their part I must admit ... (nt)

[Mike Nelson]

2. Interesting...

... the meme shows "Pretty Jesus" and I've seen a lot of posts like that - with more subtle wording. I also see "Black Jesus" with wording about how he probably looked.

Also see the FB "prayer" icon used a lot by friends. That is a universal symbol - the hands - and I like it better that something that might separate people by religion.

FB will "help" people as long as it makes money for the company, and I'm sure Jesus Christ's rivals are welcome to "contribute" to the FB bank accounts.

My experience with FB is that people are more respectful about religion than politics.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. Facebook, sees dollar signs no doubt.

Getting in on the soul saving grift is just too good to pass up.

[2naSalit]

4. Gee, I wonder what could gp wrong...

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

5. A grift of biblical proportions... smh

[niyad]

6. Isn't hillsong the church affiliation of that 34 year old covid denier who just died?

[SarcasticSatyr]

7. Indeed it is ..

and they still refuse to endorse getting the vaccine.