Guide: Permissions requested and why
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/security/permissions-requested-and-why
Topic: Security, privacy and data
Time: about 3 minutes
Who can do it: Owner or Administrator
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/pages
Result when done: You can answer your own security question about what this app can do.
Context: CommentWatchDog asks for the Facebook permissions that its features need, and nothing beyond them. Each one maps to something visible in the app, and refusing one removes that feature rather than breaking everything.

Before you start:
1. The connection covers the Pages your Facebook login manages, not your personal profile.
2. Every permission maps to a feature you can point at.
3. You can review and revoke them at any time in Facebook.

Steps:
Step 1 of 4: See what reading comments buys.
Where: Reading your Pages, their posts and the comments on them is what fills the inbox and lets the rules run.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/pages (Open Settings, Pages)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox.en.webp (Comments read into the inbox.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Comments arriving within seconds of being posted.

Step 2 of 4: See what acting buys.
Where: Hiding, unhiding, deleting and replying as the page are the moderation actions. Without them nothing can be changed.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox.en.webp (Hide, delete and reply.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/inbox-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The actions under each comment doing what they say.

Step 3 of 4: See what messages need.
Where: Messenger and Instagram messages are a separate permission, used for the Messages tab and for private replies to comments.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/messages.en.webp (Messages.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/messages-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Conversations, and the ability to answer a comment privately.

Step 4 of 4: Review them on Facebook.
Where: In Facebook: Settings, then Business integrations. CommentWatchDog is listed with everything it was granted, and can be removed there.
You should see: The same list Facebook holds, which is the authoritative one.

If something is off:
Problem: Can you read my personal profile
Fix: No. The connection covers the Pages your login manages.
Problem: Can you post on my behalf
Fix: Replies to comments and private replies, as the page, when you or a rule you configured send them.
Problem: I refused one and a tab is empty
Fix: That tab says which permission is missing and offers to reconnect.

Common questions:
Question: Does CommentWatchDog ask for more Facebook permissions than it uses?
Answer: No. CommentWatchDog asks for the permissions its features need and nothing beyond them. Reading your Pages, posts and comments fills the inbox and lets rules run; acting powers hide, unhide, delete and reply as the page; messages powers the Messages tab and private replies.
Question: Which list of granted permissions is the authoritative one?
Answer: The one Facebook holds. In Facebook, Settings, then Business integrations lists CommentWatchDog with everything it was granted, and the app can be removed there at any time.
Question: Does connecting give CommentWatchDog my Facebook password?
Answer: No. Your Facebook password is never seen; the connection uses tokens Meta issues, and it covers the Pages your Facebook login manages.

Related guides:
- What each Meta permission is for: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/pages/what-each-meta-permission-is-for
- What is stored and for how long: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/security/what-is-stored-and-for-how-long
- The Meta app review: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/security/the-meta-app-review

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/security/permissions-requested-and-why.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt