In these hours, European users of messaging platforms linked to Facebook and Instagram are viewing a unusual notice. Within the app and website of Messenger and gods Instagram direct messages in fact, a text has appeared that reads: “Some functions are not available”, which is followed by a rather general explanation: “The reason is that we must respect the new rules relating to messaging services in Europe”. The message closes by stating that the group is working to make the functions disabled available again soon. Facebook has not provided further explanations to users of the affected platforms, but from online reports and technical information disseminated to companies and developers, it is possible to know which functions are actually disabled.
What no longer works on Messenger and Instagram
The basic functionality of the two messaging platforms remain intact: users will be able to continue exchanging text messages and they will continue to be delivered as usual. According to what is reported in the support pages dedicated to developers and companies, the restrictions mostly concern these subjects, i.e. creators, influencers and businesses in contact with users through their own pages, he developers who use Messenger chat as an integrated service on their website.
For these subjects it will be impossible to interact with users and customers (and vice versa) using most multimedia content: attachments such as audio, video and document files the artificial barrier imposed by the social network will not pass, as will the galleries but also the navigation buttons and menus that some chatbot use to make it easier for users to interact with companies represented in chat. In essence, catalogs, payment receipts and automated navigation systems that some shops and companies are starting to use to facilitate online shopping on Facebook channels will end up blocked.
In short, the limitations should not concern normal chats between ordinary users, but put a stop to Facebook’s ambition to become a intermediary for the sale of goods and services. Until the group complies with the latest European privacy standards, its chat rooms dedicated to businesses will lose many of the features that made them attractive to businesses.
–
