Is Facebook really trying to make the poke cool again, or is this just another desperate attempt at social media resurrection? Brace yourself—what’s old is new again, and the iconic Facebook poke is making a comeback, fueled by both nostalgia and a dash of Gen-Z curiosity.

If you ever wondered what that mysterious little finger on early Facebook was supposed to mean, you’re not alone. The poke—the OG ambiguous interaction—has always been a digital wild card. Was it a flirty nudge, a passive-aggressive jab, or just a glorified wave? Well, prepare for a flashback, because the AI generated newscast about Facebook’s latest update is all about the poke’s unexpected return to the spotlight.

Here’s the scoop: According to TechCrunch, Facebook, now under Meta’s ever-watchful eye, has updated the poke button and thrust it front-and-center on user profiles, at least in the mobile app. There’s even a dedicated poke hub at facebook.com/pokes where you can track who’s poked you and seek out new friends to gently nudge—digitally, of course. The button’s absence from the desktop site won’t stop Facebook from hyping it up, especially with a fresh FAQ page to catch up the poke-deficient among us.

For anyone who remembers Facebook before it became known as "Boomerbook"—yep, that’s the nickname millennials and Gen Z have pinned on it—pokes were the stuff of legends (and sometimes awkward misunderstandings). Now, Facebook is doubling down, giving pokes a new twist by adding features that mirror the addictive “streaks” on TikTok and Snapchat. These streaks gamify engagement, tempting users to keep their poke chains going, much like those Snapchat streaks regulators have criticized for being, well…a little too sticky for teens’ mental health.

But why bring pokes back now? Simple: Facebook’s clout with young people has plummeted as Snapchat, Instagram, and especially TikTok took over the cool crowd. The company is now in a full-on nostalgia-fueled redemption arc, hoping that Y2K vibes (think low-rise jeans and micro-minis) will lure the next generation back. And shockingly, it’s working. Facebook recently reported a mind-blowing 13x increase in pokes over the last year. It seems Gen Z loves a little retro fun—either that, or they’re just poking fun (pun intended) at millennials.

So, whether you see this as a brilliant comeback or a cringeworthy throwback, one thing is clear: the AI generated newscast about Facebook’s poke revival proves that digital history has a way of repeating itself—with a fresh coat of nostalgia and a side of viral curiosity.