Kakao Corp. will roll back part of a controversial redesign of its flagship KakaoTalk messenger after users complained that the new “feed-style” interface exposed too much personal information and turned the country’s most widely used chat app into an “unwanted” social network.
The company said Monday it will restore the “friends” tab to its previous contact list format and give users the option to choose between the old and new display styles.
Kakao last week introduced the feed-style friends list in the app’s largest revamp in 15 years, but faced strong backlash from users who said the messenger had “lost its identity” and now resembled Instagram. Many criticized the new interface as “intrusive,” noting that KakaoTalk is widely used in Korea for professional as well as personal communication.
“The feed-style design was intended to make it easier to browse friends’ photos and status updates without clicking into each profile. We are not removing the option, but will provide both choices,” a Kakao official said. “Because this requires a new technical update, it will take some time.”
The change is slated to take effect in the fourth quarter.
Kakao also said it will streamline safeguards introduced last week for minors using its short-form video feature, following calls from parents for stronger protection measures.
“We will continue to improve user experience and interface design, while actively reflecting feedback to make KakaoTalk more convenient,” the company said.
Kakao shares rose Monday, recouping part of last week’s steep losses. The stock closed at 60,300 won ($43) on the Korea Exchange, up 1.69 percent.
herim@heraldcorp.com
