Mobile App Critique: Facebook Messenger App

Usability

The Facebook Messenger app is easy to use, with accessible click (touch) buttons allowing users to begin an action like video chatting, screen sharing, or instant messaging. Messenger can create a '3-way' calling space where unlimited people can chat at once, like to keep in touch with relatives and friends on the Facebook social app who live far away. The simple functions allow me to video call my mom when she cannot navigate her device and help her when I am lazily lying in bed, as seen in Figure 1. Facebook Messenger is so simple a baby boomer or grandparent can use it. 

Figure 1: Screenshot from a Samsung Galaxy A53 while on Facebook Messenger video chatting with myself on my Facebook Meta Oculus VR headset using screen share. The process works similarly if I share the cell phone's screen with the Oculus. If screen sharing were not given through the Oculus, the profile image on the right would be seen on the mobile device as the video image.

Design

Facebook Messenger's design resembles Instagram's image post feed and TikTok's or YouTube's short video reels. When video chatting it uses some of the functions of Snap Chat like changing the persons face into a dragon or applying filters with makeup. The difference is it requires the users to be tech-savvy, using their device to manually take a screenshot secretly or click a button on the call screen where the screenshot is immediately saved in the group chat. 

Over the years, Facebook Messenger has made it difficult to search for someone not on your immediate friend list on the original Facebook app. 

To add someone without giving them access to your profile and tediously creating post-sharing group folders:

• First, you must choose the messenger button on someone's main profile page (in the original Facebook app or via URL)
• Then you have to wait for them to respond before you can side message without completely exposing all your business. 

Facebook Messenger has seriously vamped up the privacy settings that are even more controllable by the user to define what can be shared by Facebook, like the secret permission giving Facebook permission to your microphone and camera while recording your calls. 

Functionality

Figure 2: Shows the image from within the Facebook Meta Oculus VR headset of the Facebook Messenger App video chatting with myself using a Samsung Galaxy A53 mobile device.

Facebook Messenger can function as a chat room and a movie watch party, seen in Figure 2.  Facebook bends to the whims and cries of the youth at every turn and loophole. People can play games during video calls, like the infamous (and my favorites) Words With Friends and Word Blitz, which are great! Games like the aforementioned keep the youth educated and wanting to spell versus using daily short-hand (or finger-hand) texting methods. Side message chats can be exchanged for text messaging and a camera, giving users free rein without using up important phone storage for downloading apps.

Facebook Messenger reminds humans, as they enjoy technology, of the importance of face-to-face communication and gathering. 

Recommendations:

Dear Facebook,

Your design, usability, and functions of the Messenger application is superb. The application suits my needs and my occassional lazy moments when my body has had enough. 

There are a few recommendations I would like to discuss with Facebook as Messenger continues to provide a sense of closeness with those physically unreachable.

1. The Messenger app is draining my battery and causing my phone to lag with bugs that build up overtime! I recommend as you read my phone's state you see my battery's temperature and notice the bug infestation. The damage the app is doing to my device is forcing my phone to restart. Please just send a message to restart the Messenger app.
2. To my next point, I'm kicking rocks over here. I have kindly placed the game icon on my mobile device's home screen for quick access per your recommendation for accessibility. I recommend the game be shut down within five minutes of inactivity or when I tap the Facebook Messenger icon. There is no reason why Words With Friends is loading when I am trying to video call someone or chat. Reaching the games section is already easy within Messenger. Continuing the first recommendation, shutting the app down after inactivity should also force a restart to clear the bugs or when I click the main functioning Messenger app.
3. Finally, I need Facebook Messenger to revise the privacy permissions. Not allowing some privacy permissions, like recording my calls, stops my phone from ringing or showing a call is coming in. My phone vibrates, but the only way to answer them is if I'm fast enough to click on the messenger app and choose answer. Many functions used in the Messenger app should work regardless of subscribing to an open-door policy. The privacy permissions have also affected how I can answer phone calls using my cellular network. I also miss those data phone calls when the messenger app takes too long to close. Considering how the Facebook apps and brands are linked may be difficult, but can you try to maintain privacy better? 

Facebook Messenger has definitely improved from its entrance years competing with Skype and Google Meet. However, I remember having the same bug issues using Facebook Messenger when the application was first launched. I would hate to stop using something I enjoy for years again hoping the same problem gets fixed. 

Warm regards,

Your best friend for life!

User: 1010001010010011101101011

Hello Roger, thank you for your comment! I agree that all social media need to tackle scams and conspiracy theories. However, that is hard to do without taking away constitutional rights like the freedom of speech and press.

Thank you for your response, Professor Smith! I am reminded that I am still human and have a life. Pictures have always been worth a thousand words and I plan to use them within reason.