Meta has fulfilled its long-standing commitment by introducing default end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations and calls on Messenger. With this encryption, only the sender and recipient have access to the contents of the messages.
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Although Messenger’s encrypted chat function was initially an opt-in feature in 2016, it now becomes the standard for end-to-end encrypted messages and calls in two-person discussions following a prolonged legal dispute.
Loredana Crisan, Vice President of Messenger, emphasized the meticulous approach taken to ensure the implementation’s accuracy. Encrypted chats won’t compromise features like themes and custom reactions, but the transition to default encryption for all chats might take some time.
While end-to-end encryption for group chats remains opt-in, default encryption for Instagram messages is expected to follow shortly after the private Messenger chats’ rollout.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, had outlined the company’s plan to move towards encrypted ephemeral messages across its messaging apps in 2019. By defaulting to encryption, most Messenger chats will stay private from Meta, enhancing user security and privacy.
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This move not only aligns with the growing trend of private, encrypted services but also prevents Meta from providing chat data to law enforcement, a concern highlighted in a previous legal case involving Messenger chat history. The implementation aims to strike a balance between user privacy and addressing concerns about identifying malicious activities on encrypted messaging platforms.
