Facebook Messenger Introduces 'App Lock' Feature With Support for Face ID and Touch ID

[MacRumors]

Facebook today announced enhanced privacy and security features for Messenger on iOS, including a new "App Lock" feature. With this enabled, Facebook Messenger will require Face ID or Touch ID authentication before it is opened.

The company hopes that this will let users feel more comfortable when letting someone else borrow their phone, preventing anyone else from viewing private Messenger chats. Facebook said that the user's fingerprint or face data is "not transmitted to or stored by Facebook."

To enable App Lock, Messenger users can head to the new "Privacy" section in settings. In addition to App Lock, the company is planning to launch more privacy controls over the coming months.

App Lock launches today on iPhone and iPad, and will roll out to Android in the next few months.

Article Link: Facebook Messenger Introduces 'App Lock' Feature With Support for Face ID and Touch ID

 

[ericgtr12]

The fact that FB forces you to use a separate app for chat is ridiculous.

 

[HappyDude20]

That’s cool and all, but at the end of the day I don’t trust Facebook.

 

[PsykX]

The fact that FB forces you to use a separate app for chat is ridiculous.

Forcing us to have the whole Facebook app just for chat WOULD be ridiculous.
I remember how bloated it was back in the days.

With just the Messenger app, I can uninstall the Facebook app and save time I would have wasted in their app otherwise. And the more you look at the news feed, even if you don't interact, the more data they collect about you.

 

[matt3526]

Facebook said that the user's fingerprint or face data is "not transmitted to or stored by Facebook."

Only because apple goes to great lengths to prevent it. Otherwise Facebook would store and sell it to everyone.

 

[AngerDanger]

Finally, my Facebook data is safe with me, Mark Zuckerberg, and anybody else at Facebook.

 

[diego.caraballo]

“Facebook said that the user's fingerprint or face data is "not transmitted to or stored by Facebook."”
😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

[decypher44]

It works well. Opened with FaceID. Fast and smooth. Not bad! Hope they do it for the main app, as well.

Can this be done with iMessage?

 

[Shirasaki]

The fact that FB forces you to use a separate app for chat is ridiculous.

Which is a surprise to me cause that chat app does not crash on iOS 14 but the main app does.

 

[chucker23n1]

The fact that FB forces you to use a separate app for chat is ridiculous.

I don't know why people want them to be in the same app. I like focused apps. FB Messenger is fine, and largely unrelated to how I use FB proper.

 

[4jasontv]

Sure ok. I'd rather have the ability to password a folder, but this is nice they recognize some people might want this.

 

[Smici]

Well, not bad actually, but why not do this on OS level to every app? BTW it’s working with slider over mode too

 

[Steve Grenier]

This should really be available system wide, controlled via Settings app. Useful when sharing your phone with children or any stranger/acquaintance. Face ID/Touch ID is fast enough to offset this being annoying.

 

[Konigi]

That, or Apple could implement a multiple-users feature on its iOS and iPadOS, including a "Guest" session allowing you to share your phone without compromising your personal data.

The company hopes that this will let users feel more comfortable when letting someone else borrow their phone

 

[jntdroid]

The fact that FB forces you to use a separate app for chat is ridiculous.

Messenger allows you to use it without an actual FB account, though, which comes in handy if you don't use FB, but want to be able to message with people that do (or your kids that use Messenger Kids as another example).

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I used to use Facebook Messenger to chat with people a lot. That really stopped when Facebook moved it to a separate app. People stopped initiating conversations with me there, and I stopped doing so with them. Everything switched to SMS/iMessage. If you're going to have to swap apps anyways, why use that one?

People arguing for separate apps, that's like saying Apple needs to have a separate app for SMS and iMessage. Such a division could be made, but it's pointless. Or maybe a better comparison, it's like suggesting Microsoft Teams or Microsoft Outlook should be broken into separate apps. Certainly it could be done - it's easy to see where they could be broken out. But the credentials and contacts are the same, and they all work perfectly together, so why do it? Just offer tabs to switch between them. Exactly like Facebook used to do with Chat.

(Also, on this topic, can I get my mail from Outlook in Teams? Teams already does everything else that Outlook does, why does Email have to arbitrarily be the one thing Teams doesn't do?)

 

[chucker23n1]

Everything switched to SMS/iMessage. If you're going to have to swap apps anyways, why use that one?

FB Messenger works on Android.

 

[slineaudi]

Why doesn't apple just include a "require authentication before opening" switch for individual applications with the other privacy options like location, camera, etc. That way you could protect any apps without waiting for the app dev to build something in.

 

[Neepman]

So now only FB will know about your philandering and your partner not so much.

 

[Sandstorm]

Why doesn't apple just include a "require authentication before opening" switch for individual applications with the other privacy options like location, camera, etc. That way you could protect any apps without waiting for the app dev to build something in.

Exactly THIS! Why the hell isn't this universal and system level? Would make so much more sense imo.

 

[iMerik]

Why doesn't apple just include a "require authentication before opening" switch for individual applications with the other privacy options like location, camera, etc. That way you could protect any apps without waiting for the app dev to build something in.

/thread you've blown us all

 

[amaze1499]

Facebook account deleted. Trust is gone.

 

[SaxPlayer]

"Facebook today announced enhanced privacy and security features"

Hahahahaha. I haven't heard anything so funny in ages. Facebook. Privacy. Hahahahahaha. Don't. You're killing me! 😂

 

[Jerry Fritschle]

Nice of them to do this, but I cut the cord yesterday

 

[Jimmy James]

“Facebook said that the user's fingerprint or face data is "not transmitted to or stored by Facebook."”
😂😂😂😂😂😂

That’s because it’s stored in Secure Enclave. Apple’s implementation of security features is the reason I’ll never leave as long as that remains. The alternatives are abhorrent.