Attempts by Facebook to introduce a new messaging app have been met with controversy this week, amid concerns over the permissions required to use the app.
The social network has now made it mandatory for users to download its dedicated Facebook Messanger app in order to privately contact friends through the site, with many users informed that they could no longer see or send messages unless they added the service.
However, those who attempted to access the app on Android were told that the app required permission to “call phone numbers without your intervention” and “use the camera at any time without your permission”, sparking fears over the impact on the phone owner’s privacy.
Facebook has now responded to the backlash, saying that the fears “are based on misinformation” and the language used is due to Android’s rigid policy on permissions.
“Almost all apps need certain permissions to run on Android, and we use these permissions to run features in the app. Keep in mind that Android controls the way the permissions are named, and the way they’re named doesn’t necessarily reflect the way the Messenger app and other apps use them,” said the company in a statement.
“Below, you’ll find a list of some of the permissions we request for the app, as well as an example of how we use each one. Note that this list doesn’t include all of the Android permissions we request or all of our uses of those permissions.”
The full list of information and permissions is available here.
