Quick Answer
When you see “Contact on Messenger” under a person’s name on Facebook Messenger, it means they are not one of your Facebook friends but you have interacted with them on Messenger before. This allows you to message people you may not be friends with on Facebook, but have connected with through Messenger.
Detailed Answer
Facebook Messenger allows you to chat with people who are not your Facebook friends. This can happen in a few different ways:
You’ve exchanged messages with them before
If you’ve ever received a message from someone who is not your Facebook friend, or messaged someone who does not have you added as a friend, they will show up as a “Contact on Messenger.” Facebook saves the messaging history so you can easily find them again in the future.
You’ve interacted on a Facebook post or event
Sometimes you can message people you don’t know through interactions on Facebook posts or events. For example, if you comment on the same public post as someone, you may have the option to message them through Messenger even if you are not friends.
You have each other’s phone numbers
If you and another person have both added your phone numbers to your Facebook profiles, you can send each other messages on Messenger without being Facebook friends. This is because Messenger links contacts by phone numbers.
You met on a dating app owned by Facebook
Facebook owns several dating apps and services, like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble. If you’ve connected with someone on one of those platforms, you may be able to message them through Messenger without being Facebook friends.
Why Messenger allows messaging without being Facebook friends
There are a few reasons why Messenger enables communication between people who are not Facebook friends:
To increase engagement
Messaging people you don’t know well yet can lead to more engagement and usage of the Messenger platform. It helps connect new contacts and grow networks.
To improve connectivity
By linking contacts across Facebook’s family of apps and allowing messaging between non-friends, Messenger creates more opportunities for communication and connection.
To facilitate dating app connections
Allowing Messenger interactions between dating app matches helps those connections lead to conversations and relationships, even if the contacts are not yet Facebook friends.
To drive growth and revenue
Increased engagement and connectivity on Messenger has the potential to generate more growth, data and ultimately revenue for Facebook. More messages sent generally means more data collected and more opportunities to serve ads.
Messaging “Contacts on Messenger”
Communicating with Contacts on Messenger functions much like messaging your Facebook friends, with a few key differences:
No automatic friend suggestions
Messaging a Contact will not lead to that person being suggested as a Facebook friend to you or them. The messaging remains separate from your main Facebook friendship connections.
Limited profile information
You can only see limited profile information about a Contact, unlike a full Facebook friend where you can view their entire public profile. Their profile photo, name and any shared contact info is available.
Keeping conversations separate
Some people prefer to keep Messenger conversations with non-friends separate from their main Facebook account. This allows for compartmentalization of messaging connections.
Avoid spamming new contacts
Messaging Contacts first before friending them provides a way to establish a rapport without potentially spamming a new connection with your public posts or information right away.
Build new relationships gradually
Developing relationships gradually on Messenger before friending can be beneficial for online connections like dating app matches or new professional contacts.
Managing Contacts
While Facebook tries to make messaging Contacts easy, you can manage these connections to optimize your Messenger experience:
Edit privacy settings
Adjust your messaging privacy settings on Facebook to limit non-friends’ ability to reach you. You can restrict who can message you first.
Unsend messages
If you change your mind about a message to a Contact, you have a short window of time to unsend the message.
Block contacts
To stop receiving messages from a Contact, block them in your Messenger settings. This will end your messaging connection.
Delete conversations
You can delete full conversations with Contacts to clear their messaging history from your account.
Report abusive contacts
If a Contact is harassing you or otherwise communicating inappropriately, report them through Messenger’s reporting tools.
Download your data
Use Facebook’s download your information tool to review and archive messaging history with Contacts for your records.
Conclusion
The “Contact on Messenger” feature allows you to communicate with people outside of your direct Facebook network while maintaining a separation between full Facebook friends and other Messenger connections. With the proper privacy and account controls, it can be a useful tool for expanding your connections. However, always exercise caution when communicating with people you don’t know well online. Building relationships gradually on Messenger first can lead to rewarding interactions.