The newly released Facebook Messenger application has been recorded to have been downloaded over 500 million times on android phones alone despite the constant onslaught about it
from the public.

Upon releasing the Facebook Messenger app, a policy was added to it to force the users to install the separate messenger app to continue to use the Facebook chat on smartphones or tablets. Some of the application permissions are the following;

• Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention (which may result in unexpected charged or calls)
• Allows the app to record audio with your built in microphone, which allows the app to record audio at any time without your confirmation.
•  Allows the app to take pictures as well as videos with the camera, this allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation.
• Allows the app to send SMS (text) messages. This could result in unexpected charges.

All of these permissions seem a little sinister and malicious as with all of these, Facebook can literally record every conversation, text message and camera footage that your phone or tablet takes! This is what the public have been very concerned with as they do not trust Facebook with all of this ‘power’ that they have to use the app for malicious reasons, which has caused the app to be rated 1 star on the app store by the public. Although this is a free application with no in app purchases, it is clear that Facebook is making money on this by exploiting user data to companies and the government.