Those of you using Facebook Messenger, there is an update, added layer of security via App lock that will now require Face ID or Touch ID for iPhone and iPad users.
Facebook has launched a feature that lets you add an extra layer of security when opening Messenger on an iPhone or iPad. The app itself can now be locked upon or shortly after closing, requiring you to use an authentication method like Face ID or Touch ID to open it back up.
That means you could unlock your phone and let a friend borrow it, and that person still wouldn’t be able to access your Messenger chats.
The feature, which Facebook is calling App Lock, is part of a number of small changes coming to Messenger centered on privacy and security. The app is also adding a Privacy section to the app’s settings, giving users a single location to control features like App Lock and what users they’ve blocked.
The company hopes that this will let users feel more comfortable when letting someone else borrow their phone, preventing anyone else from viewing private Messenger chats. Facebook said that the user’s fingerprint or face data is “not transmitted to or stored by Facebook.”
How to Enable App Lock
To enable App Lock, Messenger users can head to the new “Privacy” section in settings. In addition to App Lock, the company is planning to launch more privacy controls over the coming months.
App Lock is supposed to come to Android in “the next few months.”
How can I deactivate my Facebook account for like a week?