New Facebook 'Send' Button Lets You Share More Privately (UPDATE)

[NOTE:] This feature will be available to all Facebook users. A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that Facebook's "Share" button applies only to Facebook "Groups." We regret the confusion.

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Facebook is preparing to launch a new feature that will let users more selectively share content with preferred Facebook contacts.

The social network on Monday announced a new "Send" button that allows users to share directly with individuals and select friends via Messages, email or within "Groups" of friends.

The Send button will appear next to the "Like" button on websites that feature Facebook integration. While content you "Like" is visible to all your Facebook friends, the Send button will offers a more private alternative.

Here's how it works.

When a user clicks "Send," a small window appears that lets the user choose which friends or "Groups" of friends to send the content to. (Facebook Groups is a feature that lets users communicate within a limited set of Facebook friends, such as family members, bowling buddies, or roommates.) The user can send a link, along with a personalized message, without ever leaving the page where they found the content they'd like to share. This feature will replace Facebook's "Email to a friend" option.

For example, if you're planning a vacation with your roommates and you come across a great Hotel deal on Orbitz, you can "Send" a link to that deal directly to your Group of roommates via the Send button.

The Send button is already live on The Huffington Post, as well as several other websites. According to a post on the Facebook Blog, the feature will roll out on more sites over the next few days.

Check out an screenshot for the Send button (below) , and share your thoughts about this new feature in our Quick Poll.

Quick Poll

What do you think of Facbook's new Send button?

Very helpful.

Pointless.

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

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Comments

[Harleena Singh]

12:12 AM on 04/30/2011

Thanks so much Catharine (I think I heard your name so many times yesterday, though with a different surname!). I did it and believe me, Facebook just produced something that I was desperately in need for. Now I can share my feeds selectively and privately. Have a look at my 'send me' button at my blog http://www.aha-now.com/ .

[promotional products]

07:37 AM on 04/28/2011

I believe Facebook is focusing more on user friendliness and to make things private within community & friends. This would also out burden “Share”& “like” buttons. However, this move by Facebook could be in response to the latest Google+1 service launched by Google.

[Shaun Dawson]

09:42 PM on 04/26/2011

I like the idea of this new "send" button

[PenguinLinux]

06:57 PM on 04/26/2011

root@facebook:# rm -rf /*

I like that.

[rezna]

05:41 PM on 04/26/2011

All of us clicking on this link expected a Dislike button.

/dislike

[Ondej Opicakuz Turek]

05:15 PM on 04/26/2011

Can I add it to my website without Like button? tHX

[oneyippie]

04:53 PM on 04/26/2011

Hey, if I add a new button to my website will it make HP news too?

[Tomas57]

04:47 PM on 04/26/2011

Facebook is Rick-Rolling us....

Think about it. We don't communicate with our friends with email, letters, or phone calls anymore. We tell people about our lives with mass postings, rather than home parties. We check the temperature through an app, rather than looking out the window at a thermometer. We find dates online, rather than meeting people at church or other face-to-face events.

In truth, the entire internet technology is Rick-Rolling us by taking away our physical lives and intimacy.

Yet, here I am.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

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[TannySG]

04:35 PM on 04/26/2011

How is this new? It's been there for a few months now. Thanks for the breaking news!

[akrazyrunner]

02:11 PM on 04/26/2011

If I had a facebook account I might care

[Focus1000]

03:26 PM on 04/26/2011

Re: "If I had a facebook account I might care"

Yet... here you are ;)

[Tomas57]

04:39 PM on 04/26/2011

LOL!!

[BlueKansas]

01:49 PM on 04/26/2011

If Facebook wants to make a real improvement, it will get rid of the link that allows people to download and keep your photos, and it will adopt a policy of not snagging members' content for their own purposes. I couldn't care less about their new button.

[Tomas57]

04:38 PM on 04/26/2011

Dittos on that one. I no longer install "apps" on my Facebook account. Never.

What are these people doing with that information? Why do they need it?

[citizen1787]

01:46 PM on 04/26/2011

Dang, I was hoping it would be a dislike button

[Smugglez]

01:12 PM on 04/26/2011

OMG! A site has a new button! The end is nigh! Run for the hills!

[StansDad]

11:57 AM on 04/26/2011

Now you can feel private and safe as all of your information is forwarded to thousands of companies, copied and dispersed.

[craftycrow]

10:35 AM on 04/26/2011

I wish Facebook would bring back the "Suggest to Friends" option on Pages.