Facebook on Wednesday announced new privacy settings for the Messenger app that enables users to unlock the app using fingerprint or face authentication. The company said that the new privacy setting dubbed as App Lock will provide an additional layer of security to a user’s private messages by preventing others from accessing the personal messages. Facebook said that the optional feature enables users to unlock their device and offer it to a friend or a family member who will not be able to access the personal messages on the app.
Facebook Unveils App Lock Feature for Messenger
The company said that the App Lock feature will be available in the new Privacy section within the Messenger app. The privacy section is said to offer simple access to the features like the audience for the stories, muted stories and blocked people.
“We’re always working to give you more control over your privacy, so as we introduce more privacy features, you’ll have this centralized place to find them,” Facebook said in the release.
The company said that the App Lock and Privacy section introduced on the Messenger app will offer users a chance to customize the experience within the app. The App Lock and the Privacy section are available now on the iPhone and iPad and will arrive on the Android devices “in the next few months.”
Facebook Exploring More Ways to Protect Users on Messenger
The company said that it is working on providing more controls to users on the Messenger app that enables users to select who can message or call directly. Facebook said that the new tools will be similar to ones found on the Instagram app.
“We’re also exploring more ways to protect your privacy and safety when someone you don’t know sends you a message,” the company said in the release. “We’ll be testing a feature similar to what exists on Instagram and WhatsApp that blurs images in your message requests folder.”
