New Facebook Home App Stirs Privacy Concerns

Facebook's newly-unveiled Home App has so far gotten a lot of people worry about some privacy-related concerns, according to a report. To address these concerns, the social network giant has answered some of the questions related to their latest app.

But first, what does this new Facebook Home app do? Well, the app replaces the Home screen on selected Android smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, HTC One X and HTC One X+.

The new Facebook Home App also allow users to display their Facebook newsfeed and messages on their home screen and gives users access to Facebook-owned photo app Instagram. Additionally, the "app drawer" within the software will give users access to other Android features, such as the Google Chrome browser and the Google Play Store.

Moreover, Facebook's new messaging system called "Chatheads" will allow users to send and reply to Facebook messages from their friends without having to open up a specific Facebook app. The Facebook Home App will let users see photo streams and lots of notifications on their phone. The app will also let users chat with their friends using the Facebook Messenger.

Meanwhile, in response to privacy concerns, here's some excerpts from Facebook in what they had to say on the subject: Facebook can not collect data outside of the Home app, unless you use the HTC First phone — then it can track what apps generates notifications, but not the content of the notification. Facebook Home collects your Facebook activity, location, Facebook messages, and the apps in your Home app launcher — this data is user-identifiable for 90 days, according to facebook.

Facebook went on further to say that Facebook users can still use Facebook without using its Facebook Home App, and that Facebook Home is just another app you install from the Google Play Store and users can uninstall the app at any time. You can read the Facebook privacy FAQ in its entirety about their new Facebook Home App here.