The new Facebook Messenger app has been creating a stir on social media after a Huffington Post article allegedly exposed the app’s Terms and Service agreement went viral last week. Commotion began when mobile Facebook users were required to download the messaging app in order to message others on mobile. The article lists various terms that were listed in the app’s privacy policy that made users uneasy and suspicious of Facebook’s intentions. The terms, however, are not new and the Huffington Post article was published last December. Included in the list of permissions are:• Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention…• Allows the app to send messages. This may result in unexpected charges….• Allows the app to record audio with microphone. This permission allows the app to record at any time without your confirmation.• Allows the app to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation.The permissions that are listed are rather alarming, but is the app really a major threat or is everyone jumping to conclusion? Here are a few myths about the Facebook Messenger app that are important to remember if you download the app. The app uses software without permission: The first thing to realize is that the permissions of the Facebook Messenger app is not at all different from other messenger apps like Line, TextPlus or Viber. It’s the only way to send messages through Facebook:The Messenger app is actually not the only way to send messages through your mobile device. You can use the mobile Facebook website to send messages. However, if you’re not on the go, the desktop website still uses the chat client and doesn’t require any other downloads.The app invades privacy: It’s definitely no more invasive than the desktop version of Facebook. When considering privacy it all comes down to one fact – people have the option to accept or decline policies and terms.
Writer: Jared Roberts ~ Multimedia Journalist
