Facebook confirms it scans messages on Messenger

Published on April 8, 2018

Facebook has found itself in a series of controversies since months now. The company was already in trouble over the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal. Now, a new report suggests that the social networking giant recently confirmed that they have been scanning messages on the Messenger application as well. The story first appeared on Bloomberg wherein the CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the company studies texts and images that people send to each other on Messenger. The primary objective behind the company’s content rules is so that they are following the prevailing norms. The firm further revealed that they block all the messages that do not comply with their rules and regulations.

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The company reportedly makes use of automated tools to scan Messenger for abuse. They follow the same tactic on their primary application Facebook as well. “For example, on Messenger, when you send a photo, our automated systems scan it using photo matching technology to detect known child exploitation imagery, or when you send a link, we scan it for malware or viruses,” a Facebook Messenger spokeswoman said in a statement to Bloomberg. “Facebook designed these automated tools so we can rapidly stop abusive behavior on our platform.”

At the moment, Facebook is dealing with the worst privacy crisis in the technological history. The company came under the bus when it was discovered that they had illegally shared the private data of over 75 million of its users with the London-based data firm, Cambridge Analytica. The company in an interview earlier said that it scans content on the Messenger to track abuse. However, the social media giant did not keep its users informed about their decision. Therefore, they are facing quite a bit of backlash over this decision as well. The company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify before Congress on April 10 and 11. Facebook has always been the kind to be embroiled in controversies.

In the beginning, it was on the type of content that they allow to circulating on their platforms. The social media giant faced backlash for promoting insensitive content on their website. Following which, they are accusing of distributing fake news on their platform. At this point, the company clarified that they weren’t a news agency but a small source for the users to view content. Following which, they are suspecting of having ties with the Russian government in spying over America. US President Donald Trump not only condemned Facebook but most other internet giants over the matter. However, privacy was never brought into question.

Meanwhile, the social media giant Facebook is reportedly planning on introducing a new feature to its platform. The latest feature will come as a part of an updated Messenger application. In the app, users will be able to retract messages. The feature is similar to the kind that appears on WhatsApp. Users can delete messages that are sending to the Messenger application. It seems like the social networking giant decided to make these changes after Facebook’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg made use of it without telling anyone. It appears that many of the executives of Facebook have also been provided with the freedom to use the feature.

The shocking part is that the function has not even been introduced in the market as yet. Users are surprised to find out that Facebook is carrying this out without their knowledge once again. According to a report published by Tech Crunch sometime earlier last week, multiple people saw the Messenger application function that way for Mark Zuckerberg. It appears that the app missives from Zuckerberg suddenly disappear. The social media technology giant says that the feature creating after the Sony Corp. data hack took place in 2014.

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