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New to Messenger? Facebook now requires more of your data
We’ve been tracking the numerous Facebook scandals for years now.
The company has been very careless with user’s privacy and it seemed to all come to a head when the Cambridge Analytica situation was made public. Tap or click here if you need a refresher in everything Cambridge Analytica.
You’d think the social media giant would have learned its lesson after that fiasco. Apparently, it didn’t. Tap or click here to find out how Facebook was recently caught sharing your private data with developers — again!
The best way to stay protected from Facebook’s shenanigans is to delete your account and never look back. Even if you don’t have a Facebook account, you might still want to use some of its side projects, like Messenger. Unfortunately, the company now requires more of your data — even if you’re just using the chat app.
Facebook changes Messenger rules
If you’re leery about Facebook and losing your privacy by having an account, you should be. The company lost our trust a long time ago. But that hasn’t stopped people from using the social media app. There are still around 2 billion active monthly users worldwide.
For those who don’t trust Facebook, they could still use Messenger to chat with friends and family, share photos, videos and even audio recordings — until now.
The company recently changed the rules for new users who want to use Messenger. Now, you are required to have a Facebook account.
Related: How to delete your Facebook account
Previously, all you needed was your phone number and you could sign up for the app. That’s no longer enough data for Facebook. It wants all the data it takes to open a full-fledged Facebook account.
A spokesperson told VentureBeat:
“If you’re new to Messenger, you’ll notice that you need a Facebook account to chat with friends and close connections. We found that the vast majority of people who use Messenger already log in through Facebook and we want to simplify the process. If you already use Messenger without a Facebook account, no need to do anything.”
Related: Facebook is listening to your audio chats — change these settings now!
Yes, I’m sure this move was made to simplify the process [Insert eye-roll here.].
If it sounds like we’re a bit skeptical, it’s because we are. Facebook has earned every bit of skepticism it receives, so don’t feel bad if you feel the same way.
If you do decide to keep Facebook or sign up for an account to use Messenger, don’t go in unprepared. Make sure you have privacy settings set up correctly. Tap or click here to find out which privacy settings you need to use for Facebook.
Remember, it’s a dangerous online world out there. It’s always best to be safe than sorry.
Tags: Facebook, privacy, settings
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