Facebook tests $1 fee for messages to non-friends

[The Straight Story]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook says it is testing a service that will charge users $1 to guarantee that messages they send to people they are not connected to arrive in users' inboxes, rather than in an often-ignored folder called "other."

Launched in 2011, the "other" folder is where Facebook routes messages it deems less relevant. Not quite spam, these include messages from people you most likely don't know, based on Facebook's reading of your social connections. Many users ignore this folder.

Now, users will be able to pay $1 to route their messages to non-friends. Facebook said Thursday that it is testing the service with a small percentage of individuals — not businesses — in the U.S.

"For example, if you want to send a message to someone you heard speak at an event but are not friends with, or if you want to message someone about a job opportunity, you can use this feature to reach their Inbox," Facebook said in an online post. "For the receiver, this test allows them to hear from people who have an important message to send them."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/facebook-tests-charging-route-messages-inbox

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. hell no.

[elfin]

2. REFUSE to have FB as my email portal

Someone on my "friends"'list sent me an important message using that address, but I didn't get it in time, because I do not live on FB, like the sender.

I hate that when I buy something, the automatic email address that pops when I fill out the customer info is the FB one, instead of my usual one that I have used on that site in the past.

FB creeps me out, but like to see posted photos of "friends" and their families.

[EvilAL]

3. If I'm gonna pay a dollar

for messages to people I don't know they better remove the ban on titties.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Do I smell the odor of desperation from Facebook?

Have a feeling it will soon join AOL.

[ileus]

5. Yard sale pages are catching on.

I have 18 groups that sell various items and all of them operate be pm and replying to the op with message sent. All users know to look in the "other" in box.