Facebook is one of my most used apps on my iPhone. And ever since they forced me to download their separate Messenger application, both apps are part of my daily routine. Facebook, a company very familiar with privacy issues and missteps, cloaks its motives in “providing the best experience” for its users.
This usually means default settings that help the company track your location for ads or store information about what links you click on. The Messenger application has a default setting that tracks your every location and I’ll show you how to disable it.
Aran Khanna, a Harvard Computer Science and Mathematics major wrote a recent post explaining how accurate Facebook Messenger is at pinpointing your location.
Moreover, it just as easy for one of your friends to use that information themselves for some serious stalking. Khanna created a Chrome Extension called Marauders Map which will allow you to track your friends whereabouts. Facebook is most likely working on a patch to prevent such easy access to user locations, but if it has got you worried, then follow the instructions below to disable Facebook Messenger’s Location tracking.
Disable Facebook Messenger’s Location Tracking
On your iOS device head over to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services and switch Messenger to Never. You can also disable the location tracking by going to Settings -> Messenger and switch location to Never.
Social applications like Messenger have become a huge part of our daily lives. While these applications only exist because of our massive usage rates, it is up to us to make sure that we keep them in check. Facebook isn’t the only company that tracks your location, so make sure to check your privacy settings from time to time.
Is this a big deal, or should folks be used to disabling features like this on their own? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
