Facebook launches new video service

New Watch tab

Facebook is launching a new video service which will see the social network giant pitted against YouTube and Amazon.

‘Watch’ will be home to a wide range of shows from reality to comedy to live sports, some of which will be paid for by the social network.

Viewers will also be able to see comments and connect with people during an episode and join dedicated groups for shows.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on the site: “We believe it’s possible to rethink a lot of experiences through the lens of building community — including watching video, watching a show doesn’t have to be passive.

“It can be a chance to share an experience and bring people together who care about the same things.

“That’s why today we’re launching the Watch tab in Facebook — a place where you can discover shows your friends are watching and follow your favorite shows and creators so you don’t miss any episodes.”

The Watch tab will initially be available to a limited number of people in the US, before being rolled out to more people in the US in the coming weeks.

The announcement comes after entertainment giant Disney announced yesterday that they would be launching their own streaming service.