How to Stop Facebook Logging all your Calls and Texts?

Facebook uses phone-contact data as part of its friend recommendation algorithm. And in recent versions of the Messenger application for Android and Facebook Lite devices, a more explicit request is made to users for access to call logs and SMS logs on Android and Facebook Lite devices. But even if users didn’t give that permission to Messenger, they may have given it inadvertently for years through Facebook’s mobile apps—because of the way Android has handled permissions for accessing call logs in the past. (For Facebook’s instructions on turning off continuous contact uploading, check this)

But what many users don’t realize is that Facebook asks for permission to use that data. It’s part of the way the platform fills the “People You May Know” feature—by accessing users’ phone contact data.

You can download your Facebook data by going to your Facebook account’s ‘Settings’ > ‘General Account Settings’ > ‘Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data.’

To turn off Facebook Messenger accessing your phone contacts:

In Android:

1. From Home, tap your profile picture in the top right corner
2. Tap People
3. Synced Contacts to turn this setting on or off

In iPhone or iPad:

1. From Home, tap your profile picture in the top left corner
2. Tap People
3. Tap Synced Contacts to turn this setting on or off

How to Delete Contacts from Facebook

You can also go in and delete the contacts you’ve synced to Facebook. This is best done on the web, but you can do it from inside the Messenger app right after you turn off access if that is easier.

1. Open contacts page / open this link and login to Facebook in browser.
2. Click on Delete All
3. Click on Delete All again.

You will then see a message saying your imported contacts are being deleted. This may take a little time. If you left sync enabled on any of your devices, the contacts will appear again soon.

Facebook has stressed that the company does not sell contact data. The site also underscored the fact that it does not log content of user’s text messages or phone calls. Many users find that hard to believe or no longer trust Facebook.

Maybe Facebook won’t do anything questionable with your data, but, given what we know now about how Facebook handles our privacy, do you really want to take that chance?

Last updated: April 12, 2018