Prepare for the past to haunt you on Facebook. The new messaging system, which saves every message you've ever exchanged with someone in one window, is rolling out to more users.
Facebook inbox presents new, awkward problems
New system rolling out to most users.
July 18, 2011 at 8:02PM
That means anytime you send a new message to someone, the previous messages between the two of you will display right above it. So if you want to talk to someone whose question you ignored a year ago, get ready for an awkward moment. And if there was ever a snarky tone or disagreement in a message, a reminder of it remains in clear view.
If you haven't exchanged messages with a friend in a long time, that will be apparent by the time stamps. It makes networking or asking a favor more uncomfortable if you haven't bothered to say hello in two years.
The old messaging system, which some users still have, saves each conversation in a separate message with a subject line. It's the same way e-mail works.
But, as Facebook puts it, the new version gives you easy access to "a complete history of all the communication you've shared with that person on Facebook -- it's like having an ongoing record of your friendship." If you decide to sign up for a Facebook.com e-mail address, it will be saved in that same thread.
This is a wakeup call for anyone who depends on Facebook for messaging professional contacts. You're better off sticking with a traditional e-mail if you don't want an awkward message to linger. (Deleting a message will only eliminate it from your view.) And if you do get a message via Facebook, it's all the more important to respond.
E-mail gives us the feeling we can start fresh with no in-your-face reminders of past typos or awkward conversations. But for Facebook messages, time will no longer heal wounds.
