Privacy & Ethics – Facebook Messenger App

After briefly discussing the Facebook messenger app, this is the one I wanted to look further into. When reading the terms and conditions, I found that this app Allows the app to call phone numbers without your intervention, it allows the app to read data about your contacts stored on your phone, including the frequency with which you’ve called, emailed, or communicated in other ways with specific individuals, and allows the app to read personal profile information stored on your device, such as your name and contact information.

With the ability to call numbers from your phone, this may result in unexpected charges or calls without your permission. Perhaps this may be used to gather information from your contacts. When accessing your contacts and their information, I’d assume they would want that information to target them as well, but I am not sure what the frequency of communication between you and another could be useful for. With the ability to gather all information about you, means the app can identify you and may send your profile information to others, so they can also target you.

I do not believe that it is ethical to take advantage of the app users by posting this in the terms and condition, knowing that the user will not take the time to read everything listed. However, I do not believe that the blame completely lies on the creators of the app. These terms are listed for the users to read, whether they choose to or not is up to them. The users cannot blame the creators because they are given the information, just not in an obvious way, which I’m sure is intended. I do see this being a violation of privacy, and not sure that many would actually agree to all of this if they were required to read it upon downloading the app.