L’Apps on Messenger added for the first time the end-to-end encrypted chat in 2016, but now it has added new and interesting features for users. The option, which was previously optional, is now completely available for tutti, with switches to encrypt text messages, chats and group calls. Indeed, Meta also discussed switching to E2EE by default. But that may not happen until next year, as some regulators say this would harm public safety. In the meantime, however, the company has released other interesting features for the application. Let’s see what it is.
Messenger: App adds new features for end-to-end encrypted chats
In these hours the Messenger App has announced some new options for its messaging service: “New update for end-to-end encrypted Messenger chats so as to be notified if someone takes a screenshot of a disappearing message . We are also adding GIFs, stickers and reactions to encrypted chats as well ”. After all, chats are not encrypted by default, which means it’s up to you to activate this feature. You can then choose whether activate the lock icon when you start a new conversation, or do it through the “ephemeral mode”.
Credits: Meta
Beyond that, Meta is adding new features to encrypted chats, such as GIFs, stickers and reactions. Plus the ability to long press a message to forward or reply. Additionally, as acknowledged by The Verge, “encrypted chats now also support verified badges so that people can identify authentic accounts.” Finally, as anticipated, there is un new screenshot notification in Snapchat style. If you participate in an end-to-end encrypted chat and take a screenshot, the Messenger App will immediately notify the other user. In short, many news, even if Meta seems ready to encrypt all chats by 2023, when it will merge the conversations of Instagram and Messenger.
In this regard, already last year the Global Head of Security of Meta, Antigone Davis, spoke about the company’s efforts to make the messaging platform more secure. “At Meta, which owns Facebook and WhatsApp, we know that people expect to use the most secure technology available, which is why all the personal messages you send on WhatsApp are already end-to-end encrypted, and we are working towards make it a default setting in the rest of our apps “.