After the recent update to the Message+ app I am now required to create a "public profile" in order to access the app?
JeffSF,
We certainly want to make sure that every customer can utilize every feature on their device. You are correct, that a good alternative to the Verizon Message+ application would be to use the standard messaging application that comes on to every device. We are working diligently to work out all the bugs with our Message+ application. Please let us know if you ever need anything. We are happy to help in any way we can.
NicoleT_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the Correct Answer button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!
I guess I need to pose this as a question ... why do I need a profile to send text messages from my phone?!
I agree. I can't move past this screen unless I create the profile.
Why is this required?
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I just entered a random "name".
Soooo annoying though.
inappropriate content removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service
Message edited by Verizon Moderator
Back out of the app and then open it again, that Welcome screen should then be gone. If you then go to Settings (the three bars in the upper left-hand corner) and then tap the pencil in the upper right-hand corner, the photo and name are optional.
Similar to Tikibar1's post above, I backed out/closed the app, waited for the remainder of the updates that I was receiving to "push" as there were 11 total, then reopened Message+.
The app will open as it used to, with all of your existing text messages, and I have not been prompted to enter a public name again.
The only thing I am seeing differently is upon launching Message+ the red bar at the top of the screen (screenshot above has same red ribbon @ the top) appears FIRST, then my color scheme appears (black ribbon) and my existing list of texts/contacts. Almost looks like that login screen shown above is opening in the background.
I havent noticed anything else out of the ordinary, except the behavior i detailed above.
IT definitely keeps happening because i rebooted my device, yet that red ribbon continues to pop just before my screen does.
That we have to do this is BEYOND UNACCEPTABLE. That some kid, it has to be a 12 year old writing this app, thinks it is appropriate to force people to create some public profile on a service that has NO business being public just shows how much Verizon deserves Yahoo and their total lack of understanding of how to protect people's personal information. Honestly, this should go to the FTC for violating our privacy rights.
BTW, how does anyone know that removing the name removes the profile we were forced to create? I'm betting there's some junk still on Verizon's end that keeps all our info. What assurances do we have that if we remove our name the public profile goes away?
Finally, what about children under 13? COPPA says Verizon cannot collect their names or any other personal information and I know a TON of kids under 13 with Verizon cell phones who are creating these public profiles that are likely illegal. Time to send this to DoJ too.
This is all fine and dandy but what about the extremely annoying day and time stamp that comes with each message, not to mention the unread message banner, is there anyway to turn this off??
This was an awful "upgrade"
Not just awful. It introduced things not given in the description and I'm noticing more bugs now than before the "bug fixes" it was supposed to correct.
This is horrible, I cannot get past the profile screen, tried backing out of the app, then reentering it keeps showing up and i cannot view my messages until i create a profile which I do not want to. Verizon is invading I privacy, not giving us choices. I sure regret renewing my contract.
This is getting close to the straw that broke the camels back. Verizon has made many changes that are providing not useful and or unwanted. What has happened to Verizon? They use to be sharp, and insightful.
This has not worked for me.
Just figured, thanks to no help from Verizon (creating a junkie upgrade, and not providing a work around).and them costing me my valuable time.
1. Got to Setting
2. Open the Application Manager
3. Go to Messages
4. Force Stop
5. Now you can get into messages without have to create a privacy invading profile
6. go to Federal Communications Commission | The United States of America and put in an invasion of privacy complaint especially if this applies to minors
7. Go to your State Attorney General and file an invasion of privacy complaint
8. The more people that do this the more State's Attorney Generals will get involved, and the more penalties will be brought upon Verizon
They also broke WiFi message sending. I'm in a terrible service area but have excellent WiFi and yet simply SMS messages stopped sending. Clearly this is a HORRIBLE version and needs to be backed out back to the previous version until Verizon fires every programmer and hires someone older than 12 to actually write code.
According to Verizon Tech Support and can be verified under the Messenger + app - select the three bars in the upper left hand corner when messenger is open - select "Whats New" - You will find that SMS messenger is now "CHAT!"
It is supposed to be comparable to Apple iMessage and is meant to be used over wifi and contains other features listed under what's new.
The public profile is for when the software becomes available for use on tablets and computers and it will function very much like google chat used to. Google chat is now google hangouts and I've never used hangouts. I assume it's about the same as Facebook messaging. You have to have an app somewhere or in some cases people want the app everywhere and on every device to send and receive messages.
I agree with what has been proposed here in the forum - it is an invasion of privacy to convert SMS and MMS messaging from a secure platform over cellular data to an open platform such as wifi and allowing for connections to the messaging (chat) service from multiple devices where messages are downloaded and stored until deleted on each individual device.
Currently there is no way to uninstall the update. There is also no way to opt in or out of public profile. If you stop the messenger through your apps manager and restart without accepting and creating the public profile notifications for incoming messages may not appear in the notification area of your devices - per Verizon Tech Support.
Signal folks.. Signal. It's the ONLY app we should be using. Safe, secure, encrypted.
The new upgrade is meant to be a partner to the following app....
Verizon Messages - Android Apps on Google Play
And this list of upgraded features to match the same features as the above messages app which has been available on the play store for about a year now.
• Enhanced Group Chat
• Yelp Integration: Share your favorite places on Yelp within the app.
• Kanvas: Create GIFs & edit photos with Kanvas’s editing tools, stickers, & more
• Cloud Integration: Access & share your cloud media within Message+
• Glympse Enhancements: Let’s your family and friends know your ETA at the press of a button
• Gifting: The quick and easy way to buy and gift your favorite stocks to family & friends
• Mute conversation across all your connected devices
TubaOrNotTuba
I have my own issues with this app currently however after reading your posts I have to say. You are not being forced to do anything. Simply uninstall this "OPTIONAL" application and find one that suits your need and concerns. Spouting off about reporting to this agency and that agency about this misconceived perceived notion or that misconceived notion does not help anything. I am fairly positive that Verizon has their privacy issues covered by either way of adherence or loop holes (yes there are loop holes and legal ones at that.) As far as children having access to this optional application. I believe it is the job of the parent to ensure the child has what they have installed on their phone or not on their phone and not the government or application creator.
Verizon is dealing with a lot of stuff with this update. Undoubted they rolled this patch/update out wrong. Let's at the very least let's try to stay constructive.
How is this optional software? It's FORCED on the phone. It cannot be uninstalled. And as for kids, the LAW does not put the onus on parents, it puts the onus on companies collecting the data. Period. Go read the law. That Verizon forces this app as the default app on many Androids they sell makes them TOTALLY responsible for complying with COPAA.
Please go to the Google play store. Search verizon message, verizon Message Plus or Message+. Then choose uninstall. Then proceed to use the "default" messaging application.
If your using an apple product your on your own. However one would assume the process is as equally easy to revert back to the "default" messaging application.
Your welcome!
I am unfamiliar with that particular phone. However on the last few Notes and Galaxy phones. The verizon messages is a link to down load and not preinstalled. The application "Messages" is the pre-installed application.
A quick search shows "Messaging" to be the default application on the V20.
To change:
From home screen go to settings, application manager, Menu icon (upper right) - configure apps - default apps - Message app. Then select the OS default which appears to be "Messaging" for the LG V20.
I can see where the confusion would come in as the Message+ icon would be on a fresh install. However it is a install/activation/agreement link and not the actual default OS messaging application. While going to the application manager only shows disable. It can be uninstalled through the google play store. The Messages+ should then be replaced with the initial icon that forwarded you to download/install/register. This is the same process to uninstall Google Hangouts. To uninstall hangout you have to do it through the Play Store
TubaOrNotTuba, we can understand your concern regarding software updates and the problems with the Message + application. We are always here and ready to provide some personal assistance. I am sending you a private message so that we can provide you with some troubleshooting assistance. We will also address any other concerns that you have.
RalphT_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupportIf my response answered your question please click the 'Correct Answer' button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!
This "update" is getting worse and worse ... My text messages aren't sending or receiving properly regardless of being on WiFi or not. My conversations are getting messed up because the order gets completely hosed based on when the app/VZW decides to actually let the messages go through. Do these things actually go through any form of testing prior to release or is the release your "beta"?!
Definitely agree the unread message banner and date/time markers are annoying. They waste 50% of the screen space in some conversations. Please give us the ability to turn this off.
Version 6.4.3 was released today; at least one post I've seen so far indicates that particular user's issue was resolved with that update. Hopefully others will chime in once they apply the update.
So we're going to get an update every day for how long to fix this? I love Sarien's question, " Do these things actually go through any form of testing prior to release or is the release your "beta"?!" What an excellent question!!!
The annoying date/time stamps and incorrect unread message stamps are still there, however.
Applying the update now. Will have to see if the app becomes in some way usable again.
Just to clarify, I've used Android since the first Android phone Verizon sold. The LG V20 is LG's latest flagship phone and is not a Samsung so there's really no comparison. On the LG V20s, as sold by Verizon, Message+ is preinstalled and is the default messaging app. It cannot be removed (it can be rolled back to the factory installed version, but not actually uninstalled) just as one cannot remove any pre-installed Amazon apps on a V20. I will leave it at that as we're not getting anywhere in this conversation.
I am looking at a LG V20 right now. Flagship or not your right the LG v20 does not compare to Samsung.
Now it is up you as whether or not you will listen. The default messaging application is called Messaging it is an icon with a yellow background and a white chat bubble. Unless you got a super special one of a kind phone. The instructions i gave you to UNINSTALL verizon Message+ apply to you. Now whether you want to actually try unistalling it or changing default back to MESSAGING and not get hung up on the disable or update only options for Message+ in the application manager is completely up to you.
There is an old adage about a horse and water that is coming to mind. Good luck man.
To further prove my point
Https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-207831/
Or google "Uninstalling Message+ LG V20"
The new update is suppose to enhance your services, Sarien. I use the Message + application as well so let's review this together. Do you have this issue with all numbers that you receive text messages from?
JasperM_VZWFollow us on Twitter @VZWSupportIf my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!
Thanks all for your feedback. If you have not already please update newest version of Verizon Messages 6.4.4. You will have the option to skip setting up a public profile. You can also delete the public profile by selecting the menu to the left – select the edit pencil – erase contents in the name field and enter your phone number which is the default public name.
Please note people, Verizon hasn't really told everyone the whole story. If you do not MANUALLY delete your public profile name your name AND phone number are visible, unrestricted, to any other Verizon Message+ user who has updated to 6.4.x, even people you do not know. When someone enters a number in Message Plus 6.4.x, including 6.4.4, that's the number of someone who has gone through the setup process in 6.4.x and entered information their public profile name will populate on the potential sender's screen, even if the recipient's name is unknown to the sender. This is rife for abuse. A simple script could potentially automate this. All Verizon is doing with 6.4.4 and the Skip button is replacing the name with your # which is far less likely to be abused since someone attempting to harvest public profile information would only have the number, but no name attached. In the end, however, the right thing to do is to nix this public profile system all together.
That Verizon hasn't removed this all together really makes me question Verizon's statement on privacy that their Chief Privacy Officer stated on 6 October 2016:
"We care deeply about our customers’ privacy, and understand that we have much at risk if we lose their trust." - Karen Zacharia
http://www.verizon.com/about/news/consistent-privacy-protections-benefit-consumers
In the end, Verizon should immediately and fully document this entire product, including what type and level of, if any, encryption is used between sender/receiver, why they haven't just removed the public profile settings/option from the product and every account, and then agree to purge 100% of all information they've garnered from users since 1 February 2017. Short of that, customers should voice their concerns about how Verizon is handling customer's privacy to Verizon, the FCC, the FTC, and to their state's attorney general's office.
Best solution: Stop using this asinine Verizon Message+ app and switch to the phone's Message app instead. None of this outrageous forcing us to create a profile. By the way, Message+ asks me about 6 times a day, and I say "No" every time, do you think they would finally get it? EPIC FAIL, VERIZON!!!
Beware! This app defaults to 'PUBLIC PROFILE' And posts unauthorized pictures of their choice you have on your phone. In my case, I wasn't aware until someone told me they saw it. The particular picture they chose to create a default public profile with has compromised my safety by publishing private information!
I will be holding Verizon responsible for any harm, danger or any injuries caused by this unauthorized illegal and irresponsible use of my private information.
Kchri2, protecting your information is extremely high on our priority list. The Messages+ application asks if you want a public or private profile. This is not something that we would default without your permission. You can force stop the app and clear the cache in your settings. Once you've done this, when you open the app, it will ask if you want a public or private profile. It will also ask when the app updates in the play store. Please let us know if you have any trouble removing the public profile status.
La’SindaT_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!
I have deleted it, but I did NOT create it. Nor did I post that picture.
On Jul 3, 2017 9:57 AM, "vzw_customer_support" <forums@verizonwireless.com>
I understand how urgent this concern is for you Kchri2. I can assure you that we value your security. Nothing can be posted unless it is done from the phone itself. The good news is the phone does have messaging application, and you can use that from now on. Was there anything else I can do for you today?
AmberF_VZW
