Facebook Messenger gives users option to delete sent messages

CALIFORNIA (AFP): Facebook on Tuesday added a Messenger feature for anyone who has fired off a comment they regretted – a way to take it back.

Messenger users will now have a 10-minute window after sending a message to undo it, leaving behind a note telling everyone in a conversation that the remark was removed, according to the leading online social network.

“Have you ever accidentally sent a message to the wrong group of friends, mistyped something, or simply wanted to remove a message in a chat?” Facebook asked rhetorically.

“You’re not the only one! Starting today, we are launching a feature where you can easily remove your message on Messenger.”

Facebook owns the mobile messaging application used by more than a billion people.

Early last year it was revealed that Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was apparently able to remove his sent messages, which caused pressure to make the feature available to all.

The freshly added feature will let people tap on a message shown in a Messenger conversation then select a “Remove for Everyone” option, which will only be available for 10 minutes from when it was sent.

The remove feature will be available on mobile devices powered by the latest versions of Apple or Android software, according to Facebook.

WhatsApp, another mobile messaging app owned by Facebook already has the feature available.

The ‘Delete for Everyone’ option gives the users same functionality, however, the time window to do so in WhatsApp -at one hour – is way more than Messenger.