Facebook Messenger introduces App Lock so your messages are protected by FaceID

As Facebook continue to add new privacy features to add trust with their users, Messenger has received a new update adding a lock to the app itself.

Think about those times you hand your phone over to someone else, maybe to show them something on the screen, or to show them some photos.

What’s stopping them swiping up to switch apps, and maybe reading all your messages?

Well, FaceID or TouchID – that’s what.

Jay Sullivan, Director of Product Management at Messenger says “Privacy is at the heart of Messenger – where you can be yourself with the people who matter most to you, whether that’s through a message, video chat, call or virtual room. Today, we’re announcing new privacy and security features that give you more control.“

App Lock is an optional tickbox, you turn it on in your Privacy settings – allowing you to add that simple layer of protection from others seeing the content of your app.

It’s actually a feature Huawei had in their phones for years, allowing you to lock down individual apps. But, that’s not possible on iPhones – it would be a great Operating System feature, but for now, Facebook has taken the lead on this one.