Meta pulls the plug on Messenger Lite

Meta

Meta is discontinuing Messenger Lite, a simplified version of its messaging app for low-bandwidth regions, next month. The app has reportedly been removed from the Play Store for new users, signalling that Meta is ready to phase out Messenger Lite. Existing users can still reinstall the app from the Play Store, but they will see a message urging them to switch to the full-fledged Messenger app or FB Lite when they launch it. 

Messenger Lite was once also a great option for people who wanted to use Facebook Messenger without the unnecessary frills. It also provided a respite from the cluttered and bloated main app. However, Messenger Lite had some drawbacks, such as the lack of video calling. Moreover, most Android phones today can handle the main app, which has more features than the stripped-down version.

The end of Messenger Lite follows Meta’s announcement that Messenger will stop supporting SMS on September 28, indicating that the company is abandoning its ambition to be the ultimate messaging platform.

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Meta helps teens block unwanted messages on Messenger and Instagram

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Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has announced a new feature that will help users protect themselves from unwanted messages from strangers on its messaging platforms, Messenger and Instagram. The feature will require people who are not connected with a user to send a text-only invitation to chat, and they can only send one at a time. Users won’t be able to send another one until the recipient accepts or declines.

The feature aims to prevent harassment and abuse from unknown people, especially adults who may target teens. The invitations are also limited to text only, so users won’t receive unsolicited photos, videos, voice messages, or calls from strangers. Meta said the feature will give its teen users more control over who can contact them and what they can see. This joins the new parental supervision hub Meta introduced for its platforms.

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Meta launches new parental supervision hub on Messenger

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Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, has announced new parental control tools for its platforms. These tools are designed to create a safer and healthier online environment for young users and their guardians. One of the new features is a parental supervision hub in Messenger, which lets guardians monitor their teens’ privacy and safety settings, contact list changes, app usage time, and report history. This hub is rolling out in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. 

The hub is part of the Meta Family Center, a central place where parents and guardians can find resources and tools to help manage their teens’ experiences across Meta technologies. The hub will also allow guardians to see who can message their teens—only their friends, friends of friends or no one—and who can view their stories. The guardians will also get notifications if the child changes any of these settings or reports someone.

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Facebook starts default end-to-end encryption test on Messenger

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Facebook finally has more to say about its long-awaited plans to enable end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default in its Messenger app. The tech company announced it started testing the feature for chats "between some people" this week. It's already possible to enable E2EE on a per-chat basis. But, of course, the typical user won't think to allow that. 

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