How To: Read Facebook Messages on a Samsung Galaxy S3—Without Your Friends Knowing

I get along with most of my friends just like anyone else. We chat on the phone, go out drinking, and play video games—and we choose who to hang out with and when. That same sort of freedom is hard to find on Facebook.

Having to constantly turn off Facebook chat is probably one of my biggest pet peeves. Can't I creep on photos without everyone knowing I'm online!

But at least when it comes to my Facebook messages, I can bide my time, read my messages secretly, and reply when I see fit. No more of Facebook revealing that I read a message and guilting me into a reply. Fbook that...

With Privy Chat from WasilukApps, I can read over incoming Facebook messages on my Samsung Galaxy S3 without informing the sender. The app is not a giant home run, but does get the job done well enough.

Step 1: Allow Permissions

I know it seems counterintuitive to allow an app to access all you Facebook information, but let's forget about that and solve our current issue. Once installed, Privy Chat will need access to your Facebook account for viewing messages and chats, so give it up.

Step 2: Sign In

Once signed in, Privy Chat will load you previous messages and start receiving your incoming ones.

Step 3: Check Your Messages

Messages that have been read, and have shown the sender that they have been read, are marked with an open eyeball. Messages in your inbox that have not been read, or shown to the sender to have been read, are marked with a closed eyeball.

What Makes Privy Chat Useful

So, if you receive a notification for a new Facebook message on your GS3, but aren't sure if you want to respond just yet. You can open up the Privy Chat app and read the message from there. When you go back to the Facebook Mobile app, or even on your desktop, you will still have that unread message.

Finally, you can read a message in peace and respond whenever you want—without being suckered into an immediate reply.

Drawbacks of Privy Chat

The obvious drawback is that the application is not ingrained within the Facebook app, but stands alone and requires a lot of back and forth. You can reply to a message from Privy Chat (which will automatically mark the messages as read), but you cannot send messages in group conversation or start new conversations.

If you're just looking to have a little peace of mind when reading your messages, then Privy Chat is a nice little quick fix.