What was the original name of Facebook's instant messaging service?

Facebook’s instant messaging service was originally called Facebook Chat. Facebook introduced it in 2008 as a browser-based way for users to see which friends were online and communicate with them in real time.

Facebook Chat initially worked inside the main Facebook website, so users did not need separate software or a standalone buddy list. Facebook later revamped its messaging system, acquired the group-messaging service Beluga in 2011, and released separate iOS and Android Messenger apps that year.

The name Facebook Messenger became standard as messaging expanded beyond simple text chat to include photos, files, stickers, voice calls, video calls, bots, and group conversations. A common mix-up is treating Facebook IM or Facebook Talk as official former names; neither was the original name of the service.

Messenger eventually became more independent from Facebook’s main app. In 2014, Facebook began requiring mobile users to install the separate Messenger app for private messaging, although the service remained closely connected to Facebook accounts.