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Messenger (software)

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Facebook[3] Messenger, often simply referred to as Messenger, is an instant messaging[1] application hailing from the United States, developed by Meta Platforms. Ever since its first introduction to the public on August 9, 2011, it has been consistently updated to function on a variety of operating systems such as Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. As a platform for instant messaging, it has gained widespread usage due to its extensive array of user-friendly features. It offers smooth communication services and a plethora of functionalities, harmoniously integrated with the Facebook platform[2]. As a crucial part of the Meta Platforms ecosystem, Messenger is perpetually advancing with frequent updates and the introduction of innovative features. Its evolution has been punctuated by significant legal proceedings, including Young v. Facebook, Inc., Fraley v. Facebook, Inc., and Force v. Facebook, Inc.

Terms definitions
1. instant messaging. Instant Messaging (IM) represents a mode of digital communication that facilitates the instantaneous exchange of textual messages across internet or computer networks. Unlike its email counterpart, IM encourages prompt, engaging dialogues, often enriched with emojis, file sharing capabilities, voice-over IP, and video conferencing. IM systems can operate autonomously or as a component of a broader social media framework. They have undergone substantial evolution since the inception of early platforms like Talkomatic and CompuServe CB Simulator, maturing into graphical user interfaces with an array of functionalities. Contemporary popular services such as Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat provide private and group messaging, advanced security protocols like end-to-end encryption, and social network integration. They serve a crucial function in personal and business communication arenas, enabling efficient real-time dialogue with conversation archives for subsequent reference.
2. Facebook Platform ( Facebook platform ) The Facebook Platform is an all-inclusive collection of tools and services offered by Facebook, designed to enable third-party developers to build their personalized applications and services that function within the Facebook social network ecosystem. Launched on May 24, 2007, the platform incorporates the Graph API, which facilitates data interaction, and Authentication functionalities that ensure secure log-ins across various applications. Other notable components include Social Plugins and the Open Graph Protocol, both of which significantly improve user experience and integration. Despite ongoing debates concerning privacy and data sharing, the Facebook Platform continues to be a critical part of Facebook's ecosystem. It has profoundly influenced the social networking scene, with countless applications having been developed since its launch. The Platform's progression mirrors Facebook's technological strides, such as the shift from Facebook Markup Language (FBML) to tools based on HTML5.

Messenger, also known as Facebook Messenger, is an American proprietary instant messaging app and platform developed by Meta Platforms. Originally developed as Facebook Chat in 2008, the company revamped its messaging service in 2010, released standalone iOS and Android apps in 2011, and released standalone Facebook Portal hardware for Messenger calling in 2018. In April 2015, Facebook launched a dedicated website interface, Messenger.com, and separated the messaging functionality from the main Facebook app, allowing users to use the web interface or download one of the standalone apps. In April 2020, Facebook released a Messenger desktop app for Windows and macOS.

Messenger
Developer(s)Meta Platforms
Initial releaseAugust 9, 2011; 12 years ago (2011-08-09)
April 2020; 4 years ago (2020-04)
Stable release(s) [±]
Android431.1.0.35.116 Edit this on Wikidata / October 24, 2023; 5 months ago (October 24, 2023)
iOS390.0 Edit this on Wikidata / December 14, 2022; 16 months ago (December 14, 2022)
Windows1180.4.112.0 Edit this on Wikidata / August 18, 2021; 2 years ago (August 18, 2021)
macOS169.0 Edit this on Wikidata / November 17, 2022; 17 months ago (November 17, 2022)
Preview release(s) [±]
Android (Beta)437.0.0.17.230 Edit this on Wikidata / December 5, 2023; 4 months ago (December 5, 2023)
Android (Alpha)438.0.0.0.4 Edit this on Wikidata / December 3, 2023; 4 months ago (December 3, 2023)
Operating systemWeb, Android, iOS, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Phone, macOS, WatchOS, Wear OS
Size53.33 MB (Android)
124.1 MB (iOS)
169.4 MB (Windows 10 and Windows 11)
91.3 MB (macOS)
Available in111 languages
List of languages
Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assamese, Azerbaijani, Basque, Belarusian, Bengali, Bosnian, Breton, Bulgarian, Burmese, Catalan, Cebuano, Corsican, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Dutch (België), English (UK), English (US), English (upside down), Esperanto, Estonian, Faroese, Filipino, Finnish, French (Canada), French (France), Frisian, Fula, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Guarani, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Japanese (Kansai), Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kyrgyz, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Norwegian (bokmal), Norwegian (nynorsk), Oriya, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Sardinian, Serbian, Shona, Silesian, Simplified Chinese (China), Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Sorani Kurdish, Spanish, Spanish (Spain), Swahili, Swedish, Syriac, Tajik, Tamazight, Tamil, Tatar, Telugu, Thai, Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Welsh and Zaza
TypeInstant messaging, VoIP
LicenseFreeware, proprietary
Websitemessenger.com
facebook.com/messages

Messenger is used to send messages and exchange photos, videos, stickers, audio, and files, and also react to other users' messages and interact with bots. The service also supports voice and video calling. The standalone apps support using multiple accounts, conversations with optional end-to-end encryption, and playing games.

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