Several readers have asked us about messages received via Facebook Chat concerning Rockmelt. The invitation to use the browser can also appear as a status update shown below:

 Rockmelt is a web browser with built-in social media integration. Here is a screenshot taken from their home page showing how you can surf the web with your Facebook news, notifications, sharing options and chat easily available:

After downloading and installing the software, you have to link your Facebook account. This is done via a Facebook application. By installing the Facebook app, you give Rockmelt the following permissions:

The following disclaimer is posted by Rockmelt explaining why it needs the permissions shown above:

From RockMelt: These let you share, chat, see notifications, and check your inbox right from RockMelt. We’ll never update your status without permission.”

After installing the application, you are asked what apps you would like to install. Next you are asked if you want to invite your friends via Facebook message. The reason people are receiving chat messages is that Facebook considers Messages and Chats the same:

From Facebook Help:

Rockmelt’s Privacy FAQ states the following:

Will RockMelt automatically update my Facebook status or spam my friends’ walls?
No. RockMelt will never post new status updates on your wall or your friends’ walls without your permission. The only status updates RockMelt posts are the ones you post yourself using RockMelt’s Share button and sharing features. The “Post to my Wall” permission RockMelt asks for when you sign in is better understood as a “Use RockMelt to post to my Wall” permission, and is needed to let you share on your own wall from RockMelt.

The messages/chats being circulated are not spam, and they are definitely not a virus. Users of the Rockmelt browser are choosing to invite their friends when they install the browser.

Recommended Resources

BitDefender Safego is a Facebook application you can install that will scan your News Feed and help keep you safe from scams like this.

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Do Not Track + is a FREE browser plugin created by Abine. This easy to install plugin keeps websites from tracking you. If you value your online privacy, then you should definitely take advantage of this free product.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.