

Ask HN: Why does Facebook for Android want to read my texts? - rudyrigot

I usually passively accept changes in app permissions during app updates on my Android, but when they come from a company known to like your personal information a bit too much, it catches my attention...<p>Does anyone know why Facebook&#x27;s latest upgrade requests new permissions such as:
 * read your text messages
 * add &#x2F; modify calendar events and send e-mails to guests without host&#x27;s knowledge, read calendar events plus confidential information, read your own contact card<p>I haven&#x27;t updated it yet, probably will anyway; but if someone has some insider&#x27;s information about why they suddenly need that kind of stuff, it should be interesting to know...
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eco
Facebook has a page they maintain that describes why they request the
permissions they do.

[https://www.facebook.com/help/210676372433246](https://www.facebook.com/help/210676372433246)

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arbales
Apps have different reasons for accessing SMS messages: confirming phone
numbers via SMS, SMS bridging like previous versions of Messenger or Hangouts,
etc.

The link eco posted is the right place for everything else.

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bmelton
Might have something to do with this?

[http://www.complex.com/tech/2013/01/facebook-messager-app-
up...](http://www.complex.com/tech/2013/01/facebook-messager-app-update-adds-
voice-messages-and-voice-calls)

I honestly don't know. There's been some chatter about Facebook Messenger
listening in on your phone calls, and/or requesting access to your phone's
microphone, but that information is from very dubious sources.

