Image: Jim Larrison/Flickr
Facebook is now testing a feature that will allow users to send self-destructing messages in Messenger.Obviously, offering this feature is a move to compete with Snapchat—but it's far from the first time Facebook has done something to take on its major messaging competitor. In 2012, it launched the Poke app, which was designed to send self-destructing messages, pictures, and video, just like Snapchat. Poke only lasted a few months before Facebook pulled it.Facebook tried again in 2014 with Slingshot, another standalone app that also lets users send disappearing messages. Slingshot is still available on the App Store, but like Poke, it failed to really take off. It currently ranks 960th in the Photo and Video category in the App Store, according to metrics tool App Annie—and that's the highest it's been in a month.Hopefully for Facebook, the third time will be the charm. By integrating self-destructing messages in an app at least 700 million people already use, the company stands a better chance than launching a third standalone app.To activate self-destruct mode, users will simply press an hourglass icon within the app. To turn it off, you just press the hourglass again. The messages will last an hour before disappearing.So far the feature is only being tested in France, but will likely be rolled out in more places if it's successful.