In today’s society, people feel the need to constantly be connected. Several feel as if they need to be up-to-date and in-the-loop with all of the latest technology. With the need to be connected 24/7 comes the sacrifice of our want for personal privacy and protection. This became apparent after Facebook launched its newest smartphone application.Users became concerned about their privacy after rumors surfaced the app accessed personal information without their knowledge.
Jared Rogers, a senior at the University of Texas at Tyler says he refused to download the app due to the possible breach. “I don’t want it to access my information. I don’t know what they’re going to do with it. I just heard for others that it’s bad.”
Trouble surrounding the Messenger App
The Facebook Messenger App was rolled out by the social-media website in August. The app was designed to be similar to standard text messaging. Pictures, videos, and messages can be sent to anyone through Facebook. It was created to make it faster and easier for users to access their messages and stay connected with friends. However, some users, due to the new app being forced upon them, overlooked the good intentions.
Shortly after the Messenger app was released, smartphone users who accessed Facebook on their phones received a notice saying they must download the new application. The notice said that if they did not, they would no longer be able to access Facebook messages on their devices. The company released a statement defending their push on users.
“We’re committed to providing a fast, reliable and fun messaging app that anyone in the world can use to reach the people who matter to them. That’s why we’re focusing just on Messenger and moving messages out of the Facebook app. People usually respond about 20% faster when they have Messenger, and we think they’ll find both apps useful in different ways.”
Despite the clarification, the push still drew criticism from several who argued the new update was an inconvenience. Instead of being able to access all of Facebook through one app. users now had to switch between both the original Facebook app and the new messenger app. The trouble for Facebook didn’t stop there.
Once users downloaded Messenger, they were asked to give up their phone number as well as allow the app to access their camera and contact list. This caused instant outrage and backlash for the popular media-website. Users began accusing Facebook of spying on them. Fox News Philadelphia, reported users fearing Facebook could access their phones camera, recording device, as well as call people from the contact lists, all without permission.
Debunking the fears
Though there is no clear proof the new Facebook Messenger app is steals information from users, consumers still fear they’re being monitored. In light of events such as the NSA leak by Edward Snowden, and more recently the leak of celebrities’ personal photos, the fear is justifiable, but should people really be worried?
Facebook reassured customers they don’t have to be afraid of anything. The company addressed the fears, saying they stemmed from the spreading of unconfirmed rumors. Those who had heard about the alleged spying decided against downloading the app.
Cynthia Rochin, a senior at the university also heard about the spying scare and decided not to download the app. “I had heard about the violations the app does . . . besides the factor of privacy controversies, I have other means of communication such as my cell phone.”
Other’s who not only heard about the allegations, but who also read the terms and conditions also decided against installing Messenger.
“I didn’t download the app because I don’t trust strangers accessing my phone such as the camera and contacts,” says UT-Tyler Freshman Chris Garcia. “You don’t know who’s looking at your stuff or if they’re taking pictures. That’s sketchy.”
There were also those who decided to delete the app in hopes of protecting themselves.
“I downloaded the app, but I recently uninstalled it when I learned that they can tap into your personal information and send text messages,” says Choucokri a junior at UT Tyler. “I think it’s crazy and provides distrust in the actual website.”
Once the rumors started taking form and spreading, Facebook began playing defense.Facebook’s Peter Martinazzi released a statement online addressing the accusations.
“You might have heard the rumors going around about the Messenger app. Some have claimed that the app is always using your phone’s camera and microphone to see and hear what you’re doing. These reports aren’t true, and many have been corrected. Still, we want to address some concerns you might have. How we actually use the camera and microphone—Like most other apps, we request permission to run certain features, such as making calls and sending photos, videos or voice messages. If you want to send a “selfie” to a friend, the app needs permission to turn on your phone’s camera and capture that photo. We don’t turn on your camera or microphone when you aren’t using the app.”
According to KXLY in Washington State, Facebook also addressed where the confusion came from. The company reported the wording in the terms and condition agreement on both iPhones and Android apps was dated. The company reported the agreement on Androids requested access to both phone numbers, contacts, and access to the phone’s camera and recording devices up front in a lengthy statement. IPhone users, on the other hand, were asked one-by-one what the application had access to. They say they want to reassure everyone the new messenger app has no more access to personal information on a device than other popular applications such as Snapchat or Instagram.
Protecting Yourself
Despite Facebook’s reassurance of user’s personal information being protected, there have been reports of a Messenger scam app taking people’s personal information. WJLA in Washington D.C. reports a woman who downloaded a fake messenger app had her personal information stolen.
This isn’t the only time scammers have taken advantage of a situation such as the Messenger app download. It’s something that happens on a daily basis, and can happen to anyone; however, there are ways to protect yourself.
The Better Business Bureau advises anyone that sharing personal information, such as contacts and phone numbers, to be wary of what your share. They say there are several things to take into consideration to keep your identity safe and your cyber security strong.
Always change your password every six months. Never make the password less than six characters as hackers can decode them in a matter of minutes.
Never input your credit card information in websites without proper security.
Don’t believe everything you see in an e-mail offer or website. Scammers are able to copy and replicate companies and information to look legitimate.
Never share personal information with websites you don’t trust.
Mechele Mills, President and CEO of the BBB says it also helps if you red the fine print. “Regardless of how advanced techonoloy becomes, the basics still apply. Read the find print. That means read contracts, terms of service, and privacy policies before agreeing to or downloading anything. Otherwise, you might just be in for a surprise . . . “
There’s no clear evidence that the new Facebook Messenger app is spying on anyone. The confusion, as stated by Facebook, arose for people being persuaded by a rumor. Though, if you do not trust the app the do not download it. That or make sure you completely understand the terms and condition agreement before downloading any type of application.
“I always just let these applications have any access that they want,” says UT Tyler junior Ashley Cole. “I’ll definitely be more cautious from now on though.”If you still want to talk through Facebook, you still can. By opening up Safari and logging into Facebook, you can access your messages and avoid the hassle of dealing with the Messenger app. However, it does create otherinconveniences such as a less interactive menu. At the end of the day it simply depends on what you want to deal with and what you don’t.
In today’s society, people feel the need to constantly be connected. Several feel as if they need to be up-to-date and in-the-loop with all of the latest technology. With the need to be connected 24/7 comes the sacrifice of our want for personal privacy and protection. This became apparent after Facebook launched its newest smartphone application.Users became concerned about their privacy after rumors surfaced the app accessed personal information without their knowledge.
Jared Rogers, a senior at the University of Texas at Tyler says he refused to download the app due to the possible breach. “I don’t want it to access my information. I don’t know what they’re going to do with it. I just heard for others that it’s bad.”
Trouble surrounding the Messenger App
The Facebook Messenger App was rolled out by the social-media website in August. The app was designed to be similar to standard text messaging. Pictures, videos, and messages can be sent to anyone through Facebook. It was created to make it faster and easier for users to access their messages and stay connected with friends. However, some users, due to the new app being forced upon them, overlooked the good intentions.
Shortly after the Messenger app was released, smartphone users who accessed Facebook on their phones received a notice saying they must download the new application. The notice said that if they did not, they would no longer be able to access Facebook messages on their devices. The company released a statement defending their push on users.
“We’re committed to providing a fast, reliable and fun messaging app that anyone in the world can use to reach the people who matter to them. That’s why we’re focusing just on Messenger and moving messages out of the Facebook app. People usually respond about 20% faster when they have Messenger, and we think they’ll find both apps useful in different ways.”
Despite the clarification, the push still drew criticism from several who argued the new update was an inconvenience. Instead of being able to access all of Facebook through one app. users now had to switch between both the original Facebook app and the new messenger app. The trouble for Facebook didn’t stop there.
Once users downloaded Messenger, they were asked to give up their phone number as well as allow the app to access their camera and contact list. This caused instant outrage and backlash for the popular media-website. Users began accusing Facebook of spying on them. Fox News Philadelphia, reported users fearing Facebook could access their phones camera, recording device, as well as call people from the contact lists, all without permission.
Debunking the fears
Though there is no clear proof the new Facebook Messenger app is steals information from users, consumers still fear they’re being monitored. In light of events such as the NSA leak by Edward Snowden, and more recently the leak of celebrities’ personal photos, the fear is justifiable, but should people really be worried?
Facebook reassured customers they don’t have to be afraid of anything. The company addressed the fears, saying they stemmed from the spreading of unconfirmed rumors. Those who had heard about the alleged spying decided against downloading the app.
Cynthia Rochin, a senior at the university also heard about the spying scare and decided not to download the app. “I had heard about the violations the app does . . . besides the factor of privacy controversies, I have other means of communication such as my cell phone.”
Other’s who not only heard about the allegations, but who also read the terms and conditions also decided against installing Messenger.
“I didn’t download the app because I don’t trust strangers accessing my phone such as the camera and contacts,” says UT-Tyler Freshman Chris Garcia. “You don’t know who’s looking at your stuff or if they’re taking pictures. That’s sketchy.”
There were also those who decided to delete the app in hopes of protecting themselves.
“I downloaded the app, but I recently uninstalled it when I learned that they can tap into your personal information and send text messages,” says Choucokri a junior at UT Tyler. “I think it’s crazy and provides distrust in the actual website.”
Once the rumors started taking form and spreading, Facebook began playing defense.Facebook’s Peter Martinazzi released a statement online addressing the accusations.
“You might have heard the rumors going around about the Messenger app. Some have claimed that the app is always using your phone’s camera and microphone to see and hear what you’re doing. These reports aren’t true, and many have been corrected. Still, we want to address some concerns you might have. How we actually use the camera and microphone—Like most other apps, we request permission to run certain features, such as making calls and sending photos, videos or voice messages. If you want to send a “selfie” to a friend, the app needs permission to turn on your phone’s camera and capture that photo. We don’t turn on your camera or microphone when you aren’t using the app.”
According to KXLY in Washington State, Facebook also addressed where the confusion came from. The company reported the wording in the terms and condition agreement on both iPhones and Android apps was dated. The company reported the agreement on Androids requested access to both phone numbers, contacts, and access to the phone’s camera and recording devices up front in a lengthy statement. IPhone users, on the other hand, were asked one-by-one what the application had access to. They say they want to reassure everyone the new messenger app has no more access to personal information on a device than other popular applications such as Snapchat or Instagram.
Protecting Yourself
Despite Facebook’s reassurance of user’s personal information being protected, there have been reports of a Messenger scam app taking people’s personal information. WJLA in Washington D.C. reports a woman who downloaded a fake messenger app had her personal information stolen.
This isn’t the only time scammers have taken advantage of a situation such as the Messenger app download. It’s something that happens on a daily basis, and can happen to anyone; however, there are ways to protect yourself.
The Better Business Bureau advises anyone that sharing personal information, such as contacts and phone numbers, to be wary of what your share. They say there are several things to take into consideration to keep your identity safe and your cyber security strong.
Always change your password every six months. Never make the password less than six characters as hackers can decode them in a matter of minutes.
Never input your credit card information in websites without proper security.
Don’t believe everything you see in an e-mail offer or website. Scammers are able to copy and replicate companies and information to look legitimate.
Never share personal information with websites you don’t trust.
Mechele Mills, President and CEO of the BBB says it also helps if you red the fine print. “Regardless of how advanced techonoloy becomes, the basics still apply. Read the find print. That means read contracts, terms of service, and privacy policies before agreeing to or downloading anything. Otherwise, you might just be in for a surprise . . . “
There’s no clear evidence that the new Facebook Messenger app is spying on anyone. The confusion, as stated by Facebook, arose for people being persuaded by a rumor. Though, if you do not trust the app the do not download it. That or make sure you completely understand the terms and condition agreement before downloading any type of application.
“I always just let these applications have any access that they want,” says UT Tyler junior Ashley Cole. “I’ll definitely be more cautious from now on though.”If you still want to talk through Facebook, you still can. By opening up Safari and logging into Facebook, you can access your messages and avoid the hassle of dealing with the Messenger app. However, it does create otherinconveniences such as a less interactive menu. At the end of the day it simply depends on what you want to deal with and what you don’t.
Feature Writing 