A few days ago we wrote about a report that stated Facebook uses its iPhone app to listen to user’s conversations and allegedly displays relevant ads to the users based on the conversations they had with people around them. Responding to the allegations, Facebook has officially responded to these rumors, categorically denying that it uses phone’s microphone to inform ads and influence what appears on user’s News Feeds.
According to a press release by the social networking site, Facebook only uses its app’s access to the microphone when they are “actively using a specific feature that requires audio”. Facebook’s app offers a number of features that take advantage of device’s microphone such as the calling feature, video recording feature as well a new feature that allows users to publish a live broadcast through video. The company also acknowledges the feature that it introduced two years ago, which lets uses quickly include music they are listening to in their status. The app recognizes the music and adds it to the status, similar to how Shazam works.
If you are not convinced by Facebook’s clarification, then you can follow our guide to revoke Facebook’s access to iPhone’s microphone using these steps.
[Facebook]
