Facebook on Wednesday unveiled new privacy and security features for its Messenger application.
One of the new privacy features is called App Lock and it allows users to protect their private chats when they borrow their phone to a friend or family member. App Lock prevents unauthorized users from accessing Messenger by requesting some form of authentication, such as fingerprint or face authentication, before giving access to messages.
App Lock is currently available for iPhones and iPads, but the social media giant is also working on adding it to the Android version of Messenger “in the next few months.”
This new feature can be found in the new Privacy settings section that Facebook has added to Messenger. All privacy-related features will be available in this location.
Facebook also announced that it’s working on new controls that will allow users to specify who can call or message them directly, whose requests will go to a “requests folder,” and who will be completely blocked.
“We’re also exploring more ways to protect your privacy and safety when someone you don’t know sends you a message,” explained Jay Sullivan, director of product management in Facebook’s Messenger Privacy and Safety department. “We’ll be testing a feature similar to what exists on Instagram and WhatsApp that blurs images in your message requests folder. This way, you have the choice to view an image from someone you may not know before replying to the message or blocking or reporting the account.”
Similar features are already available in Instagram and WhatsApp.
Related: Facebook Awards Researcher $20,000 for Account Hijacking Vulnerability
Related: Facebook Sues 12 Fraudulent Domain Names
Related: Facebook Offering Big Rewards for Vulnerabilities in Hermes, Spark AR
Related: Facebook Takedowns Reveal Sophistication of Russian Trolls

Eduard Kovacs (@EduardKovacs) is a contributing editor at SecurityWeek. He worked as a high school IT teacher for two years before starting a career in journalism as Softpedia’s security news reporter. Eduard holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial informatics and a master’s degree in computer techniques applied in electrical engineering.
More from Eduard Kovacs
- Industry Reactions to Hive Ransomware Takedown: Feedback Friday
- US Reiterates $10 Million Reward Offer After Disruption of Hive Ransomware
- Hive Ransomware Operation Shut Down by Law Enforcement
- UK Gov Warns of Phishing Attacks Launched by Iranian, Russian Cyberspies
- Dozens of Cybersecurity Companies Announced Layoffs in Past Year
- Security Update for Chrome 109 Patches 6 Vulnerabilities
- New Open Source OT Security Tool Helps Address Impact of Upcoming Microsoft Patch
- Forward Networks Raises $50 Million in Series D Funding
Latest News
- Critical Vulnerability Impacts Over 120 Lexmark Printers
- BIND Updates Patch High-Severity, Remotely Exploitable DoS Flaws
- Industry Reactions to Hive Ransomware Takedown: Feedback Friday
- Microsoft Urges Customers to Patch Exchange Servers
- Iranian APT Leaks Data From Saudi Arabia Government Under New Persona
- US Reiterates $10 Million Reward Offer After Disruption of Hive Ransomware
- Cyberattacks Target Websites of German Airports, Admin
- US Infiltrates Big Ransomware Gang: ‘We Hacked the Hackers’
