Facebook is finally letting anyone with a verified account use Mentions, the app it launched last year for high-profile users.
Previously, Facebook only allowed certain celebrities such as actors, musicians and athletes access to the app, which makes it easier for them to keep track of what fans are saying but also interact with them with features like live video.
Verified Facebook users interested in using Mentions must fill out this online form before they can download and use the app.
When Facebook first introduced the Mentions app in July 2014, the app was squarely aimed at celebrities. For instance, if a Facebook user tags The Rock in a status update, he will be notified about it in the Mentions app, so he can potentially respond. This August, Facebook updated the app with a new feature called Live, a live video feature that shows up in your News Feed if a celebrity you follow decides to stream.
Vadim Lavrusik, product manager for Facebook Mentions, told Mashable this week's change applies to "thousands" of Facebook users who have verified accounts, including journalists and other influencers who want to engage with their followers.
Opening up Mentions access to more users is a potential win-win: journalists and other influencers who aren't quite as high-profile as Al Roker or Serena Williams now have the opportunity to further engage with followers on the social network. Journalists, in particular, have another platform where they can report from the scene using Live, or host Q&As. For Facebook, it means the possibility of its users — verified or not — interacting with the social network even more than they already do.
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