Meta is implementing default end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for personal messages and calls on Messenger and Facebook starting December 7. Alongside this, the social networking giant is introducing a range of new features that aim to empower the user to have greater control over messaging experience. End-to-end encrypted conversations come with additional nifty features, including the ability to edit messages, sending media files in higher quality and disappearing messages.
The added security layer of end-to-end encryption ensures that the content of users' messages and calls with friends and family remain protected from the point they leave their device to when they reach the recipient's device. This also means that no one, including Facebook parent Meta, can access the content unless the user opts to report a message to the company.
It should be noted that earlier in 2016, Facebook Messenger gave the option to users to turn on end-to-end encryption, but now, it is changing private chats and calls across Messenger to be end-to-end encrypted by default.
"This has taken years to deliver because we’ve taken our time to get this right. Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We’ve introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests. We worked closely with outside experts, academics, advocates and governments to identify risks and build mitigations to ensure that privacy and safety go hand-in-hand," Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger, said in a statement.
The company noted it is committed to safeguarding messages and privacy, while making the announcement.
Disappearing Messages
Disappearing messages on Messenger now last for 24 hours after being sent. Meta is also improving the interface to make it easier to tell when disappearing messages are turned on. This will help people be confident that their messages stay secure and won’t stick around forever. Disappearing messages on Messenger are only available for end-to-end encrypted conversations, but users can still report disappearing messages if they receive something inappropriate, and Meta notify them if it detects that someone screenshots a disappearing message.
Edit Messages On Facebook Messenger
Users can now edit messages that may have been sent too soon, or that they would simply like to change, within a 15-minute window after sending them. Users can still report abuse in an edited message and Meta will be able to see the previous versions of the edited message.