Facebook Messenger to introduce a safety feature that will help users keep scams at bay

Facebook’s Messenger is coming up with a new safety feature that will let users avoid potentially harmful interactions and possible scams.The safety notices will flash in a chat, providing “tips to help people spot suspicious activity.” They are also able to block or ignore a person when something doesn’t seem appropriate.Facebook started rolling out the feature on Android in March. It will be available on iOS from next week. “We developed these safety tips with machine learning that looks at behavioral signals like an adult sending a large amount of friend or message requests to people under 18,” said Messenger.(Also read: Facebook launches new safety feature that allows users to lock their profiles) The new feature helps minors stay safe while interacting with an adult they may not know and allows them to take action before responding to a message.Chief executive of the Family Online Safety Institute Stephen Balkam said the safety tips will help curb bad behavior on the platform. He added that these features remind users of their own control over their account.[caption id="attachment_8396651" align="alignnone" width="768"] Image: Messenger[/caption]The safety tips help people spot scams or imposters and let them take action before something unwanted takes place. The app already filters some potential spam or malware and offers tips to keep common scams at bay.The feature works with full encryption so that conversations remain secure and private.[caption id="attachment_8396671" align="alignnone" width="768"] Image: Messenger[/caption]Facebook last week announced a new video calling tool called Messenger Rooms. It is built on Facebook's Messenger platform. The social media giant is still testing the feature, so only a select number of users are able to access it.Messenger Rooms allow up to 50 people in a call at one time and to use it only the creator of the room requires a Facebook account. Others can join the video call using a shared link even if they don’t have an account on the platform.