There are many contacts that I communicate with exclusively on Facebook.

Even for important things like meeting times and places, I use the website, and on my phone, the app.

Or at least I used to use the app.

That message you just sent to your friend? If they don't have Facebook Messenger installed on their phone, they may not know how to get it. They may have to wait until they get to a computer to see what you said.

Because of permissions and potential privacy concerns, many are not installing the stand alone Messenger app that works with the existing Facebook app.

So what's the big deal?

Detractors say that, after installing Facebook Messenger, Facebook would be able to use your cameras anytime it wants, send text messages or make phone calls as if it were you, and monitor to whom you've talked.

Facebook responded by saying that, yes, it does need access to our cameras and contacts in order to make all the features of their app work, but it isn't asking for that access so that it can invade our privacy. They claim it's more like when Instagram asks for access to our photos, it's because it needs that access to make all the features of the app work.

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The reasons it needs access to text messages is because it can use that info to sync our contacts and let us know who among is on Messenger and online, but they don't have to be our Facebook friend for us to get this information.

Further, according to the New York Times Bits page, the difference between the access requirements and permissions in Facebook's Messenger isn't that much different from what we'd see with other chat apps like Snapchat.

The terms and conditions of use are the same that we signed up for when joining Facebook.

Giving this kind of access to any app should raise concerns. Is it so bad that we shouldn't download it on our devices? I really don't know. I try to be careful about to whom and what I give access. At the same time, I'm thankful that the day to day aspects of my life are boring enough that if Facebook wants to watch me write another blog, work on my jump shot, golf swing or ollie, or see what the camera on my phone usually sees--the ceiling of the TRI 102.5 studio, they can have at it.

What do you think?

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