Facebook has announced Facebook Pay, a unified payment service through which users across its platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram can make payments without exiting the app.
Facebook said the service would allow users to send money or make a payment with security options such as PIN or biometrics on their smartphones. The payment option will allow users to shop, make in-game purchases, buy event tickets, donate to causes, and send money to each other.
Facebook Pay will allow users to:
- Add a preferred payment method once and then make purchases without re-entering payment information each time
- Set up Facebook Pay app-by-app, or choose to set it up for use across apps, that is WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram. Facebook says that it will not automatically set up Facebook Pay on other compatible apps unless you choose to do so
- View payment history, manage payment methods and update your settings in one place
- Get real-time customer support via live chat in the US
Facebook says that the payment feature supports most major credit and debit cards as well as PayPal. "Payments are processed in partnership with companies like PayPal, Stripe and others around the world. Facebook Pay is built on existing financial infrastructure and partnerships, and is separate from the Calibra wallet which will run on the Libra network," it said in the blog.
Facebook Pay is currently only available on Facebook and Messenger in the US.
In a parallel blog that Facebook published regarding the privacy around the new Facebook Pay feature, the company revealed that the new service will collect user information such as payment method, date, billing and contact details when a transaction is made and that it would use the data to show targeted advertisements to users.
Facebook also says that only the users will be able to see their payment and transaction history within Facebook Pay. Payments or purchases will not be shared with friends or on the feed, unless a user chooses to do so.
Notably, when you make purchases using Instagram or Facebook Marketplace, Facebook says it will only share the "information needed to support the transaction, such as shipping and contact details, with merchants."
(Also read: Facebook's iOS app bug keeps camera on even when you are scrolling through your feed)
The blog also acknowledges that the actions you take via Facebook Pay could be used for "more relevant content and ads" for you. However, it says that the "card and bank account numbers you provide will not be used to personalize your experience or inform the ads you see."
Facebook Pay will be available on Facebook and Messenger this week in the United States, the company said in a blog post.
(Also read: Facebook is expanding its ‘Breaking News’ label to more countries including India)
How to set up Facebook Pay
If you are in the US, by the end of this week, you will start seeing the feature in your Facebook and Messenger apps. To enable it, head to Settings > Facebook Pay on the Facebook app or website. There, add a payment method. And you are set.
Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this year the company is planning to unify the messaging infrastructure across its platforms. He said the company would encrypt conversations on more of its messaging services and make them compatible as direct messaging was likely to dwarf discussion on the traditional, open platform of Facebook's news feed in a few years.
With inputs from Reuters.
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