Facebook Messenger Introduces App Lock and New Privacy Settings

Facebook announced new privacy and security features that give user more control over their contant and privacy. App Lock lets them add another layer of security to your private messages and helps prevent other people from accessing them.

App Lock uses device’s privacy settings like fingerprint or face authentication to unlock the Messenger app, and touch or face ID is not transmitted to or stored by Facebook. The feature is available now on iPhone and iPad and will come to Android in the next few months. The feature can be found in the new Privacy settings section.

The Privacy section now makes it easy to access settings and features like the audience for stories, muted stories and blocked people. App Lock and the Privacy section let users tailor their experience and choose settings that work best for them.

The company is also exploring more ways to protect privacy and safety when someone user doesn’t know sends a message. "We’ll be testing a feature similar to what exists on Instagram and WhatsApp that blurs images in your message requests folder. This way, you have the choice to view an image from someone you may not know before replying to the message or blocking or reporting the account," Facebook said in a blog post.