Over the last few months, people have been in outrage about Facebook forcing them to use the Facebook Messenger app for mobile chatting on the massively popular social network site. Rumors of just what the app could do spread faster than any meme ever. Apps need permissions to work period you just have to understand these permissions in order for the product to work let’s point them out , and what they do. We would like to also like to reassure you that your messages in the app are between you and that individual they are not seen publicly on anyone’s timeline as this is a private messaging service. Ultimately its your decision to install the app or not, and most of these permissions can be controlled within the app itself and you can control the limits of the apps ability to access sensitive areas of the phone.
App permissions and functions
- Receive data from the internet ( “the service needs talk to the web”)
- Download files without notification (this is a push service so other users can send you files without you having to download them)
- Run at startup (This can be disabled in the in app settings menu)
- Prevent device from sleeping (This is optional and you can turn this off)
- look at your address book (This function is actually limited and it only checks once to see if your contacts are on Facebook it does not collect their personal data)
- View network connections (the app needs to know when you’re on Wi-Fi or your mobile network to give you the best possible performance)
- Install shortcuts (it installs 2 one is added to your program list the other is installed on your devices home screen you can always remove the second one)
- Change your audio settings (This is so you can choose between Vibrate or audible)
- Read Google service configuration (this is standard it needs to be able to query the Google server to check for updates and such)
- Integrate with other apps (send photos from the gallery, take a picture or transfer a file)
- Full network access (This needs to be in order for it to talk to the web)
- Read sync settings (so the app can sync this ability is limited)
- Control vibration (so you can get notifications in stealth mode)
- Change network connectivity (it requires the ability to connect to the network it needs to know what type of network its on)
- location services (this can be disabled it is not needed to run the app most apps do not need this to work)
If you don’t know what these are, it would be easy to get overwhelmed by the listing. All it takes, however, is a bit of research to understand that nothing nefarious is going on behind the giant blue curtain that is Facebook. Sure, they may do everything in their power to target ads based on some of your posts; but they are not, in any way, listening to your conversations or watching you via your device camera. Facebook will not steal your identity, your children, or your lunch money. Secondly remember you are ultimately in control of your device.
With that said, We hope that this article has alleviated some of your fears regarding the new Facebook Messenger, so don’t be afraid to install the Facebook Messenger app and communicate with your friends and family.
Most applications do not really need the ability to use location services and in most you can turn it off in the majority of apps, Maps and map related applications do need location to be enabled.
WELCOME TO GIZMO GRAPHICS & TECHNOLOGY 