Facebook Rolls Out 'Viewpoints' MR App

Facebook has launched a market research app called Viewpoints, paying users to take part in surveys. The company says it won't sell or share the resulting data with third parties.

App users aged over eighteen can also test drive and provide feedback on new Facebook apps or devices before they're launched. The company says it will use these insights to improve products including Instagram, WhatsApp, Portal and Oculus, and to benefit the broader community. Facebook is also launching a 'Well-Being Survey', to understand how the use of social media can impact people's well-being, with the stated aim of building better products that it hopes will limit the negative impacts of social media and enhance the benefits.

When someone joins Facebook Viewpoints, they'll be asked for information such as their name, e-mail address, country of residence, date of birth and gender, and they may be asked to share additional information, like their location, to qualify for individual programs. According to Product Manager Erez Naveh, users will receive points for their participation and then will automatically be rewarded through PayPal whenever they reach certain point milestones.

The service is currently available only to Facebook account holders in the US, with plans to expand to more countries next year.

Web site: www.facebook.com .