# On Facebook and Messenger

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-facebook-and-messenger/772166>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-facebook-and-messenger/772166 "2016-11-16T15:02:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-facebook-and-messenger/772166/1 "2016-11-16T15:02:35Z")

</div>

I want to delete my Facebook account, which is currently de-activated.

I do not wish to discontinue using Messenger, which I use daily to keep in touch with my friends who live out of state.

They say you can have Messenger without Facebook, but as best I can tell, it’s kind of a lie. The last time I tried to delete my account, I was able to register with Messenger through my phone number, but I wasn’t able to even extend an invitation to anyone who didn’t have me (the new me) on their contacts list. Worse still, when I tried to install Messenger on my tablet using my same cell phone account, it wouldn’t allow me to do it because I already had Messenger installed on my phone.

Is there a way out of Facebook hell, or am I screwed?

Thanks,

Christy

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-facebook-and-messenger/772166/2 "2016-11-16T15:52:35Z")

</div>

Hmm…Messenger is a Facebook product that uses Facebook logins to log you in and connect you to people. Not sure how you could get rid of your Facebook login altogether and still be able to log in to Messenger.

Does Messenger still work if you deactivate your FB account? I wasn’t really clear on that point in your post.

What “Facebook hell” is one in if one deletes the FB app from their devices and never goes to FB anymore, but continues to use Messenger?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-facebook-and-messenger/772166/3 "2016-11-16T16:04:16Z")

</div>

> [@ZipperJJ](#):
>
> Hmm…Messenger is a Facebook product that uses Facebook logins to log you in and connect you to people. Not sure how you could get rid of your Facebook login altogether and still be able to log in to Messenger.

Messenger ‘‘works’’ without Facebook. You are not required to have a Facebook account to use Messenger, just a phone number.

However, best as I can tell, that is a misleading claim, because I’ve scheduled my account for deletion before. If you delete your Facebook account, you can register a new Messenger account with your phone number, however, you can’t send messages to your friends – including invites – unless they add your phone number account first, which kind of defeats the purpose. You can also apparently only install Messenger on one device that way.

> [@](#):
>
> Does Messenger still work if you deactivate your FB account? I wasn’t really clear on that point in your post.

Yes, Messenger works fine with a deactivated Facebook account. I want to _delete_ the account though, which is a game-changer.

> [@](#):
>
> What “Facebook hell” is one in if one deletes the FB app from their devices and never goes to FB anymore, but continues to use Messenger?

The constant temptation to return, for one.

Facebook still having access to all of my information, for another.