Poking was one of Facebook’s earliest features, fostering user interaction since the platform’s launch in 2004, predating likes and reactions. In the early 2010s, it served as a simple way to say “hi,” often leading to playful poke wars that faded into obscurity over time.
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Recently, Facebook witnessed a significant increase in poking activity, with a 13-fold spike in the past month. More than half of these pokes were exchanged by users aged 18 to 29, though specific usage numbers were not disclosed by the company.
This resurgence followed a quiet update by Meta, the platform’s parent company, last month, which made poking more accessible. Users can now easily access a Pokes page by typing variations of “poking” in the search bar, where they can view who poked them and get suggestions for friends to poke. Additionally, a “Poke” button now appears under friends in search results.
A Meta spokesperson expressed surprise at the rapid growth in poking activity post-update, noting that no formal announcement was made regarding the changes. Despite its diminished prominence, the feature still elicits nostalgia among long-time Facebook users.
