Facebook wants to combine the world's largest social network with one of the hottest business models in e-commerce.

Facebook is launching a deals program Tuesday in five U.S. cities, following on the popularity of Groupon and other services that offer deep discounts - for example: $50 worth of food at a local eatery for $25.

By allowing small businesses to leverage the Internet while helping consumers score great deals, these group-couponing services have become some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. But the deals are circulated through email, and the community aspect is secondary.

Facebook is hoping to create a product the company says is "social from the ground up."

Facebook begins testing in San Diego, San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas and Austin, Texas.