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Facebook Now Lets Everyone Unsend Messages For 10 Minutes (techcrunch.com)

Posted by msmash on from the for-the-record dept.

Facebook has finally made good on its promise to let users unsend chats after TechCrunch discovered Mark Zuckerberg had secretly retracted some of his Facebook Messages from recipients. From a report: Today Facebook Messenger globally rolls out "Remove for everyone" to help you pull back typos, poor choices, embarrassing thoughts, or any other message. For up to 10 minutes after sending a Facebook Message, the sender can tap on it and they'll find the delete button has been replaced by "Remove for you", but there's now also a "Remove for everyone" option that pulls the message from recipients' inboxes. They'll see an alert that you removed a message in its place, and can still flag the message to Facebook who'll retain the content briefly to see if its reported.

The feature could make people more comfortable having honest conversations or using Messenger for flirting since they can second guess what they send, but it won't let people change ancient history. The company abused its power by altering the history of Zuckerberg's Facebook's messages in a way that email or other communication mediums wouldn't allow.

42 comments

  1. Maybe it's me ... by Syncerus · · Score: 1

    This sounds like a great way of spinning a 10 minute delay in delivery time. 10 minute undo == 10 minute transmission delay to enable message batching and caching.

    --
    "Man is nothing without the works of man" -- Helvetius
    1. Re:Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No doubt it's less about network speed and more about running it through the "Bureau of Facebook Information" before it goes live.

    2. Re: Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I used to get drunk and send my boyfriend poetry. This will be convenient for phrases that need slight improvements. For example I once said I loved him but I meant was I love love love love love him

    3. Re: Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Baby this isn't the time or place. I love you too but we'll talk later ok?

    4. Re:Maybe it's me ... by DickBreath · · Score: 3, Insightful

      10 minutes is enough time to light a forest fire of Fake News. And then un-light it back at the source. Meanwhile the forest continues to burn.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    5. Re: Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok mom.
      Will you massage my feet too?

    6. Re:Maybe it's me ... by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      Yep. It will be gamed.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
    7. Re:Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Because when they own the information, oh, they can bend it all they want."

      It's not a delay. (Although it may appear that way intentionally to convince people.) It's a database entry that has a "visible" flag on it. I.e Did the user allow people to see this entry? There's absolutely nothing to prevent that setting from being toggle-able by the user. Other than the willingness to expose it.

      Of course in Zuckerburg's unique case, he has an additional option:

      DELETE FROM messages WHERE owner="Zuckerberg" AND content="$EMBARRASSING_CRAP_OF_THE_DAY";

    8. Re: Maybe it's me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PHRASING!!!

      You kids and your made-up-words.

  2. show butthoal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i sniff youre dog butthoal,

    1. Re: show butthoal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You first. Shut your mouth!

  3. Snowflake generation... by x0ra · · Score: 0

    > to help you pull back typos, poor choices, embarrassing thoughts, or any other message What a generation of pussies. If you say fucked up things, own it, don't just hit "delete"...

    1. Re:Snowflake generation... by x0ra · · Score: 1

      and of course, /. comments are stuck in the early 90's where you need to have an explicit newline. This is retarded...

    2. Re:Snowflake generation... by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      I think /. is stuck in the LATE 90's. And that is NINTEEN-90s.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    3. Re: Snowflake generation... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you mean carriage return

    4. Re: Snowflake generation... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, newline. Carriage return just brings the cursor back to the beginning of the current line.

    5. Re: Snowflake generation... by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      I think you mean Carriage Return + Linefeed. Linefeed just rolls the platen up one line, but does not return the carriage to the left hand position.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    6. Re: Snowflake generation... by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      Just send an octal 012 code. Nubz.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  4. Different set of problems arise by Maelwryth · · Score: 2

    A problem with recindable messages is that someone can post something threatening or false and then remove it after the person or people had seen it. Facebook can remove it, your brain can't. This will probably lead to a whole new set of problems.

    --
    I reserve the write to mangle english.
    1. Re:Different set of problems arise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ONLY if you believe that facebook ISN'T lying to you this time. again. and again.

    2. Re:Different set of problems arise by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      Maybe people (or a browser extension, or FB reading mode) should not read things until they are at least ten minutes old. That would keep them safe from Bad Things(tm). This could be called the Facebook Safe Spaces mode where nobody can be offended or encounter unusual or uncomfortable ideas or opposite points of view.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    3. Re:Different set of problems arise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard, just ask. I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS. People just submitted it. I don't know why. They "trust me." Dumb fucks.

    4. Re:Different set of problems arise by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      Threats of violence are now "uncomfortable ideas" or "opposite points of view"???
      Br Fuckballs.

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    5. Re:Different set of problems arise by Shotgun · · Score: 1

      Well, even the summary said that FB will hold on to a copy of the message so that their thought police can look over it.

      --
      Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
      Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
    6. Re:Different set of problems arise by Shotgun · · Score: 1

      Yes. Unfortunately, colleges have construed points of view and even facts that threaten their worldview as violence. The school boy's MAGA hats were construed as a threat of violence.

      Wish it weren't true, but you literally can't make this stuff up.

      --
      Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
      Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
    7. Re:Different set of problems arise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This will probably lead to a whole new set of problems.

      In bidness there are no problems. Only solutions. One solution at a time.

  5. I still laugh at Windows recycle bin by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    So now comes the FaceBook message archive app to save those nasty messages before they disappear.

  6. All messaging should have this option by Krishnoid · · Score: 1

    Seems like it would be a good idea for all electronic communication to have a configurable delay/undo -- you're done with the message, hit send, and then reread and realize it could be more intelligible, complete, better tone, etc, and then want to change something. Sometimes it just looks different once it's sent.

  7. sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Facebook actually keeps track of it anyway of course.

    1. Re:sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Facebook actually keeps track of it anyway of course.

      I see a market for browser plugins that keeps track of messages for 10min, in case they get deleted. Nice to have evidence, be it for the cops or just to confront people. (A court will probably not accept such evidence, but they can subpoena the real evidence from Facebook. This sort of thing is easier to force, if you can show a cop the death threats.)

  8. Are you sure you want to Change History Comrade? by goombah99 · · Score: 2

    [Da] or [Nyet]

    I don't think this puts in a delay. I think it lets you retract it. The end user could screen shot it, but the official message is deleted.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  9. Stalkers and other Bad Actors by sycodon · · Score: 1

    Make the threats, then unsend them.

    Threat sent.
    No evidence.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  10. Now they just need to add a breathalyzer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    to stop 3AM messages to exes.

  11. I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!! by laxr5rs · · Score: 1

    Wait... is there a Slashdot unsend?

  12. They should do the same for every button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can't count how many times I've clicked buttons when I was just simply trying to scroll and page. They don't even have "Are you sure?" dialogs.

    I have accidentally sent friend requests, likes or whatever to complete strangers when I didn't even mean to click the damn button in the first place.

    In fact that's a large reason why I only visit Facebook once every few months just to catch up on family things. It does too much stuff with a single click.

  13. Do fb execs get only 10 minutes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://gizmodo.com/facebook-f...

  14. Remove for everyone ... Excepet Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone who thinks that this will actually delete a message is foolish. By now everyone should understand that this only sets a visibility flag and the information is still kept in Facebook's servers, This is nothing like what Zuck has as he has the ability to actually see what is in the database and the access level to actually delete it. You can also bet that the Zuck has no time limit like the 10 minutes that he had gifted upon the unwashed masses.

    Thank you for the good laugh today.

  15. Re:Stalkers and other Bad Actors by DickBreath · · Score: 1

    No evidence.
    No crime.

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
  16. Interesting by maxiposik · · Score: 0

    It's just amazingly interesting to look for what's going on in the IT industry. Lately, I find myself spending a few hours a day reading blogs at resources like https://clockwise.software/ because the whole thing just fascinates me. BTW, if you are interested in app development and in the latest programming trends, check out the website I linked to.

    1. Re:Interesting by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      I find your website fascinating and was wondering if you have a newsletter that I could subscribe to? I clicked on all the buttons on the site but couldn't seem to find one.

      tia

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  17. Screenshots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know this is the blatantly obvious stupid part about this news--that anyone can simply screenshot a message anyway--but it's funny that the younger generations just don't get this especially considering a lot of millennial geared websites have more screenshots of phones and games than any other places, posted by them. My younger cousins screenshot everything "look what ... said to me." "Check our what I did in this game..."

  18. Savings by ememisya · · Score: 1

    It's actually a great model if you are trying to save some cash on caching if you know your content will be read only after a certain time period.