Facebook will award community leaders $10m to encourage 'meaningful' interactions
Facebook is setting aside a $10m fund to reward users who "bring people closer together" on its platforms.
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has announced the social network's Community Leadership Program
The social network announced that it will award five "community leaders" from around the world with $1m to finance their ideas for projects.
And it will invite 100 people to be part of a fellowship programme that includes training, mentorship and up to $50,000 for a specific initiative.
"Our goal is to find people who are using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger to bring people closer together," said Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg in a blog post.
"This program is about finding and supporting great community leaders wherever they are. It's not just about helping people come together online. A lot of online communities strengthen physical communities by holding get-togethers, organising events, and supporting each other in their daily lives, even across long distances."
Zuckerberg's post gave examples of "the pastor of a church, the coach of a little league team, or the neighbour who's always there if you need something" as the kinds of community-minded individuals Facebook hopes to find.
The emphasis on community comes as Facebook rewires its news feed to put greater emphasis on friends and family posts over publishers' content.