Facebook has announced new features for its Messenger app, including a quick reply bar, QR codes, and new chat themes.
The new quick reply bar can be found in the Messenger media viewer, and aims to make it easier to chat about media posted by friends without needing to go back to the main chat thread.
Users can tap on a photo or video and send a response via the quick reply bar, which lives at the bottom of the screen, then swipe up to exit the fullscreen media viewer to return to the main chat thread.
Three new chat themes, which are available in both Messenger and Instagram in chat settings, let users add new twists to their chat thread backgrounds. The themes include Olivia Rodrdigo, World Oceans Day, and F9: Fast and Furious.
In addition, Facebook is adding QR codes and payment links for use with Facebook Pay, allowing users to make payments even if they're not on Facebook.
To access a personal QR code and payment link, go to Messenger settings and tap "Facebook Pay." Users can share the payment link or allow friends to scan the QR code to send or request money.
The new features are rolling out now to Facebook Messenger, which is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]
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[HEADING=1]Data Linked to You[/HEADING]
The following data, which may be collected and linked to your identity, may be used for the following purposes:
[HEADING=2]Third-Party Advertising[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Photos or Videos
* Gameplay Content
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
[HEADING=2]Developer’s Advertising or Marketing[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Photos or Videos
* Gameplay Content
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
[HEADING=2]Analytics[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Health & Fitness[/HEADING]
* Health
* Fitness
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Payment Info
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Photos or Videos
* Audio Data
* Gameplay Content
* Customer Support
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Sensitive Info[/HEADING]
* Sensitive Info
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
[HEADING=2]Product Personalization[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Photos or Videos
* Gameplay Content
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Sensitive Info[/HEADING]
* Sensitive Info
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
[HEADING=2]App Functionality[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Health & Fitness[/HEADING]
* Health
* Fitness
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Payment Info
* Credit Info
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Emails or Text Messages
* Photos or Videos
* Audio Data
* Gameplay Content
* Customer Support
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Sensitive Info[/HEADING]
* Sensitive Info
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
[HEADING=2]Other Purposes[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Purchases[/HEADING]
* Purchase History
[HEADING=3]Financial Info[/HEADING]
* Other Financial Info
[HEADING=3]Location[/HEADING]
* Precise Location
* Coarse Location
[HEADING=3]Contact Info[/HEADING]
* Physical Address
* Email Address
* Name
* Phone Number
* Other User Contact Info
[HEADING=3]Contacts[/HEADING]
* Contacts
[HEADING=3]User Content[/HEADING]
* Photos or Videos
* Gameplay Content
* Customer Support
* Other User Content
[HEADING=3]Search History[/HEADING]
* Search History
[HEADING=3]Browsing History[/HEADING]
* Browsing History
[HEADING=3]Identifiers[/HEADING]
* User ID
* Device ID
[HEADING=3]Usage Data[/HEADING]
* Product Interaction
* Advertising Data
* Other Usage Data
[HEADING=3]Diagnostics[/HEADING]
* Crash Data
* Performance Data
* Other Diagnostic Data
[HEADING=3]Other Data[/HEADING]
* Other Data Types
People should know this — then make their own decisions. And for those who know but aren’t worried about it? That’s their choice. But far too many tech un-savvy FB users don’t even slightly grasp the scale of the info they are gathering on them.
Final note (the obligatory message to infuriate the A-haters): Apple is the choice by 10 country miles if privacy security is important to a user.