Developer Jane Machun Wong shared a screenshot on Twitter suggesting that the future will arrive locking and unlocking functionality by facial recognition of the Facebook Messenger text chat. It is a measure that is already present on Whatsapp and which is particularly useful for those who have the need or even the desire to protect their communications from prying eyes. It would be enough, in fact, that some curious friend or relative can get their hands on the smartphone maybe just when unlocked to be able to access the chats on Messenger.
In the screenshot shared by Wong, you can clearly see the possibility of blocking the app once you abandon it, immediately or postponing the block for up to an hour. Apparently the unlocking operations can also take place via pins, since the facial unlocking seems to be an option that can be activated by the user.
Facebook Messenger is working on “Face ID” app lock
It can be enabled right after the user leave Messenger or after a duration
It seems Face ID will NOT be sent to, or stored by Facebooks servers, according to the description shown in the screenshot pic.twitter.com/pqBQAjOrnd
– Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) January 23, 2020
The function called “Face ID”, but it is likely that it is a convenient name for internal use also because the screenshots were made with an Android device. Not known whether Facebook will use its technology or make use of the resources of Android and iOS as for facial recognition. Still in the screenshot, we read that the user will still be able to read and respond within the notifications. Face details, it is indicated, are not stored on Facebook servers.
Not known when and if the functionality will actually be made public, but considering that on Whatsapp already present in various versions it seems likely that it will also be made available on Messenger soon enough.