Facebook Messenger closed for those who are not registered on Facebook.
Until recently, it was possible to create a Facebook Messenger account using only a mobile phone number. However, this option is no longer available. New users should now have a Facebook account.
At the same time, confirmation began to appear on the official forum and on Reddit that existing users also could not log into their Messenger account without having a connected Facebook account.
A new question has appeared on the official Facebook page for technical support: “Can I register in Messenger without a Facebook account?”. The answer is: “No, you must create a Facebook account in order to use Messenger.”
This innovation is unlikely to appeal to everyone who used Facebook Messenger to communicate with friends or family members, but did not start a Facebook account and did not plan to do this.
If the Facebook policy extends to WhatsApp, then the company may face an outflow of users to alternative instant messengers.