Facebook tests Face ID and Touch ID authentication for Messenger on iOS

Team Udayavani, Jun 15, 2020, 9:17 AM IST

Facebook is reportedly testing Face ID and Touch ID to make its iOS Messenger App more secure

If enabled, users will need to either re-enter their passcode, or engage Touch ID or Face ID before they can read all messages

In a new feature being tested by Facebook, the Messenger app can require the user to unlock the app in order to use it. While users can reply to messages from notifications and answer calls even if the app is locked, users would have to unlock it to access the full app.

Facebook spokesperson said, “We want to give people more choices and controls to protect their private messages, and recently, we began testing a feature that lets you unlock the Messenger app using your device’s settings. It is an added layer of privacy to prevent someone else from accessing your messages”

The company is currently testing the new security feature among a small percentage of Messenger’s iOS users, though it could eventually be available more widely, including on Android