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A comment on Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to push people to Messenger. Parent comment

Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by rtpg on Saturday June 04, 2016 @09:40AM (#11836276)
The counterpoint is that I know heavy FB users (myself included) who have opted to just install Messenger on their phones, essentially being able to get rid of FB on the phone, to limit distractions but keep the nice communication

While I kinda get removing it from the mobile app, I don't really know what the rationale is for getting rid of mobile web chat though. It's not like it's disappearing from the desktop web app anytime soon, right?

right?

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Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by teej on Saturday June 04, 2016 @10:38AM (#11836482)
The rationale that Facebook is using is chat isn't chat anymore, chat is a platform. You have Line/QQ/WeChat to thank for that. Cut the edges to funnel into the "core", and soup it up with platform features to compete with China.

Personally I'm not convinced that "Westerners" are going to get on board with Chinese-style all-in-one chat apps. I'm doubly unconvinced that Facebook will pull it off.

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Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by mr_spothawk on Saturday June 04, 2016 @11:51AM (#11836737)
As a westerner, WeChat was one of the coolest apps I encountered living in China.

That said, we should probably consider all of these platforms harmful. I've migrated (and been pressuring my connections to migrate) to Telegram.org

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Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by kahnpro on Saturday June 04, 2016 @04:40PM (#11837900)
But Telegram is still based on another proprietary, centralized server. I don't see how this solves anyone's problems.
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Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by JumpCrisscross on Saturday June 04, 2016 @12:07PM (#11836789)
> just install Messenger...to limit distractions

Interesting. I have been much happier since killing the Fb app'a notification and badge permissions.

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Re:Facebook disabling messaging in its mobile web app to pus... by newscracker on Sunday June 05, 2016 @02:04PM (#11842190)
> While I kinda get removing it from the mobile app, I don't really know what the rationale is for getting rid of mobile web chat though. It's not like it's disappearing from the desktop web app anytime soon, right?

I'm guessing that within the next one year or so, Facebook will force people to move to official apps even on desktop systems (like Windows and OS X), closing browser based access completely. That would give Facebook more control on tracking, ads, etc.

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