# Scannable Friend Requests Facebook Messenger Introduces Codes Similar to Snapchat By Meghan Young | Published 2016-04-08 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facebook-messenger References: [theverge](http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/7/11383958/facebook-messenger-codes-announced-900m-mau) & [facebook](http://www.facebook.com) [Snapchat](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spotify-and-snapchat) is winning in many regards, it's a simple communication tool that does away with the pomp and circumstance of more traditional social media platforms in order for people to feel much more uninhibited and it seem like some want to get in on the action like [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facebook1) Messenger. Through a recent update, people will now be able to add friends by way of a scannable code. Sound familiar? Of course, it was only inevitable other outlets would adopt this technique, Facebook Messenger being the frontrunner. Yet this is only one of a few things the social media giant as started to "borrow" from competitors. It's recently launched Facebook Lite videos is another example of it staying on top of the market. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.1/10 - Popularity: 15% | Activity: 10% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Scannable Friend Requests:** Opportunity for social media platforms to implement scannable codes for adding friends, increasing user convenience and engagement. - **Simplification of Communication Tools:** The rise of simple communication tools like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger Lite points to an opportunity for disruptive innovation in streamlining and removing complexity from traditional social media platforms. - **Competitor-inspired Innovation:** As Facebook borrows features from competitors like Snapchat, it opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in terms of feature integration and user experience improvements. ### Where This Applies - **Social Media Platforms:** The trend of scannable friend requests highlights opportunities for disruptive innovation in the social media platform industry, particularly in user engagement and convenience. - **Communication Tools:** The simplification of communication tools like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in enhancing user experience and streamlining communication processes. - **Market Research and Analysis:** The rise of competitor-inspired innovation drives the need for market research and analysis in identifying emerging trends and potential disruptive opportunities in the tech industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Visualized Social Streaming Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spotify-and-snapchat.md) - [Parent-Focused Social Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/family-center-1.md) - [Social Sharing Upgrades](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/after-dark-1.md) - [Recipe-Recommending Camera Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/food-scan.md) - [Web-Based Image Messaging Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snapchat-4.md) - [Photo-Based Messenger Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snapstreak-restore.md) - [Social App Subscriptions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snapchat-plus.md) - [Integrated Bill Splitting Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bill-splitting-features.md) - [Best-Friend Social Media Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noteit-bff.md)