Facebook had initially built Facebook Messenger directly into the app itself. This meant that as long as you had a Facebook account, you could use the chat feature. However, when Facebook spun Messenger out into its own app, the company had a change of policy where it allowed users to sign up for Messenger using a phone number.This meant that if for whatever reason, you do not have a Facebook account, you could still use Messenger to keep in touch with your contacts. However, it looks like Facebook’s policy has changed once again. The company is now requiring that users have a Facebook account if they want to sign up for its Messenger service.
They note that if you’re already an existing user, these changes do not affect you, and will only affect new users signing up for the service. In a statement emailed to VentureBeat, Facebook says, “If you’re new to Messenger, you’ll notice that you need a Facebook account to chat with friends and close connections. We found that the vast majority of people who use Messenger already log in through Facebook and we want to simplify the process. If you already use Messenger without a Facebook account, no need to do anything.”
According to the publication, they speculate that this could be Facebook attempting to get users ready for the merge of its social media platforms, something that that the FTC is reportedly looking to block.
Filed in . Read more about Apps, Facebook and Messenger. Source: venturebeat