Select Android users will be treated with a preview of the latest updates for Messenger (Facebook’s independent messaging application). The app’s newest acquisitions are for customers’ firm about their privacy. Users will find that these features allow them to control who can see personal information and allow Messenger to be used for personal, professional, and momentary purposes. Here are a few examples of how the latest additions to the Facebook Messenger privacy can protect you:
Individual and Group Payments
A lot of buy and sell groups exist on Facebook and negotiations are usually done on Messenger. When deals are made between two people, the next step for them is to meet up. This is where the buyer can receive and pay for his purchase. The problem with meet-ups is that the two parties involved are usually strangers and there are safety risks in doing so, especially since the buyer has to bring a large amount of cash for his/her payment.
By allowing people to send money through a thread, the new Facebook Messenger Privacy offers both the buyer and seller a safer means of transaction without having to use a secondary app. If the seller chooses to use a courier service, then the two may not even have to meet at all; keeping the both of them safe.
Secret Conversations
This feature is otherwise known as an end-to-end encryption. To explain how this works, imagine this situation:
You want to talk privately with your friend, who has both a laptop and a phone with Messenger. If he is using his phone at the time that you start a Secret Conversation with him, then the thread will only appear on that device; it won’t exist anywhere else. Also, while using the Secret Conversation thread of the Facebook Messenger Privacy, a timer will dictate how long the messages will be viewable. If this is set to 5 minutes, then any messages that will be sent in this thread will be deleted 5 minutes after it is sent.
No Facebook
Messenger is truly becoming independent from Facebook. The latest update now allows for people without a Facebook account to use Messenger as well. Upon first use of the application, users can tap on the “Not on Facebook?” text. This will lead to a series of prompts that will ask the user to provide their name, phone number, and a photograph of themselves. Then, the app will ask the user to allow it to sync with their phone’s contact app so that it can generate a contact list for the user (it is important to note that some people can choose to keep their phone number private and these people will not appear on a contact list from the syncing). After providing these, users may immediately use Messenger and converse with the people on their contact list.
Keep it Professional
Messenger is slowly but surely becoming an acceptable form of communication in and between companies. However, the professionalism of adding your colleagues and clients on Facebook is still questionable. Thankfully, you don’t need to be Facebook friends with them in order to chat on Messenger.
If you have anyone’s number or email, then you could simply input this on the app to start a conversation (given that they allow the app to use personal info). This allows conversations between professionals on Messenger go on, without having to invite your colleagues and clients into your personal life on Facebook.
In a world that moves fast, easy communication is the key to a fluid workflow. With Messenger being the world’s most famous messaging application, the demand for a way to use it for all purposes is high. With improvements in the app especially in terms of privacy, Messenger could well be on the way of providing the supply for this demand.