Facebook to accept videos as profile pics

Facebook is letting users upload short videos to be their profile pictures, as the social networking site undergoes a redesign and pushes to become the center of its members’ online activity, according to a recent CNBC report, which added that Facebook is tapping into the popularity of video on its site, having rolled out autoplay videos earlier this year to draw more advertising revenue.

“On News Feeds and profiles, we’re seeing people create and view more videos than ever before,” Facebook product managers Aigerim Shorman and Tony Hsieh wrote in a blog post on Wednesday that was quoted in the CNBC report. “Profile videos will let show a part of yourself you couldn’t before and add a new dimension to your profile.”

Videos are just one part of Facebook’s redesign. The company has also introduced a feature that will allow for a temporary profile picture that will revert back to your previous image at a specified time, according to CNBC, which also claimed that a “featured photos” section will allow users to pin their favorite snaps near the top of their page.

“It’s all about encouraging people to make more connections and spend more time and that translates into advertising,” Ian Maude, head of Internet at Enders Analysis, told CNBC. “The downside it might feel a little intrusive and you might not want all that information pinned upfront.”

The new features are being tested with a “small number” of iPhone users in the U.K. and California and will be rolled out to more people soon, Facebook claimed in the CNBC report.