A privacy storm is brewing over the permissions granted to Facebook Messenger when you install it on your Android device and many have chosen to uninstall it. What are the terms?

Take a look at this screenshot from the FB Messenger app permissions screen:

Shocked? Save it for a little longer.

How’s that for intrusive electronics? In a nutshell, the app can call, send messages, record audio, and take photos and video from your phone without your explicit permission for that moment. Scary, yes. “Facebook is invading our privacy.”

Have you seen the permissions that Google Hangouts wants? No? Feast thine eyes on this.

Is it the same as what FB Messenger asks?

My point is not that we are living with this, my point is not why crucify Facebook and not Google for the same thing. My point simply is: why are we trading our life away so carelessly?

Disclaimer: A friend read “The Faults in Our Stars” recently and was raving about it, everyone is raving about the “privacy” concerns surrounding Facebook Messenger, so I settled for this name.