Facebook Messenger Introduces Unsend Feature - But You Have To Be Quick

There are few among us who have never Googled 'how to unsend messages on Facebook'.

Whether it's a behind the back bitch accidentally thrown right in the victim's face, a drunken insult that will land you in your manager's office on Monday morning, or a picture your gran should never have to see, there has previously been no remedy.

But at long last, Facebook has introduced an unsend feature, which will allow people to retract ill-advised messages. However, silly-senders can't start firing off whatever they like with impunity.

First of all, screenshots are a constant threat that loom over all of us. Secondly, Facebook Messenger users will only have 10 minutes to unsend misguided messages, after which point your boss will be able to read that they are a 'wankstain wank wodger' for all of eternity.

A Facebook spokesman said: "As of today, Facebook users across the world have more control over their conversations and are able to delete messages within a limited amount of time."

Facebook

It sounds like Zuckerberg and co have just invented a whole new perilous game here. After all, who realises the error of their ways within ten minutes? The dawning realisation doesn't normally kick in until the following day, as you groggily scroll with a heavy head on your pillow.

But Facebook said the time limit would 'prevent abuse of the feature'.

So how exactly do you access this last-chance redemption option? Well, fortunately it's really easy - considering you don't have long to get that messaged wiped.

All you have to do is click on the incriminating message, which will then bring up the option to 'forward', 'translate' or 'remove' the message. After clicking remove, you then have the choice to pick between removing the message from your own account or everybody's account.

If you manage to do this in time, the only remnant will be a note, informing others in the chat that the message has been deleted... though you must always be wary of those trigger happy screen-shotting pricks.

However, you don't need to be fearful of abusive messengers using this new feature as some kind of safety net. If somebody sends you some unsolicited shit and then deletes it, you will still be able to report it to Facebook.

The feature will be available to all Facebook Messenger users on the latest version of the app on iOS and Android as of today (Tuesday).

Just make sure you're quick though folks - the screenshotters certainly will be

Topics: News, Facebook, Technology

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey