What Facebook's bigger emphasis on groups could mean

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - If you're Facebook and you've got 2 billion users, you'd think things are looking up, right? So why switch things up and mess with success? Here is a hint: People told us they are using Facebook less.

With more and more people growing inseparable from their phones, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook is changing its mission of connecting people to a new mission: creating communities and bringing the world closer together.

"Groups wasn't really a priority, now they're really rolling out these big product changes to make it easier for people to join groups and for administrators to run a group," Mashable business reporter Kerry Flynn said.

That means administrators will get instant information on who is asking to join and what time of day engagement is highest and also have the ability to reject trolls.

This is every bit about a company's survival. Facebook has oversaturated the market with 2 billion users in a world where only 3 billion have Internet access. And perhaps more importantly, Facebook users are aging up. And it is not good for a tech company when a younger generation is not into the product.

And finally, Facebook's algorithm came under fire after the presidential election when users got articles that only reinforced their perspectives, even from dubious sources. Some openly worry Facebook's focus on groups will only close users off to differing perspectives.

Mashable's Flynn wondered if this focus on groups will create more of what people call echo chambers and newsfeeds that just conform to a user's political mindset based on the groups they join.

That means Facebook's move to stay relevant just might have some unintended consequences.