Fact · Voice privacy and security
In August 2019, Facebook said it had paused human review of audio from Messenger more than a week before its statement, and that it would follow Apple and Google in curtailing the practice.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“paused human review of audio more than a week ago”
Facebook paid contractors to listen to your audio chats on its Messenger app, CBS News, CBS News, 2019, Facebook spokesperson statement.
Open the original- What it measures
- Bloomberg reported that Facebook paid hundreds of outside contractors to transcribe Messenger audio clips from users who had opted in to transcription. Facebook said the clips were anonymized before workers listened.
- What it does not show
- This is Facebook's own statement, relayed by CBS News. The report does not give the number of clips reviewed or the dates when the review began.