End-to-End Encryption Is Coming To Facebook Messenger
Just recently many instant messaging platforms are now offering users end-to-end encryption. Well, Facebook is about to join the train. This announcement was made earlier today in a recent post on the company’s official website.
With the feature, chats made on Messengers would all be encrypted, and also this feature is just useful for anyone who is concerned about his/her privacy and security aspect. This same feature already exists on Facebook-owned WhatsApp Messenger, though it was added just a few months ago. Facebook is said to be using Signal Protocol, which is developed by Open Whisper Systems, the same protocol used in WhatsApp.
According to Facebook in their statement, the users secret conversations that are encrypted won’t be seen by Facebook or anyone, the messages would only be readable on the device it is being sent to. Also, users will be allowed to set the time limit in which the message will remain visible in the conversation list:
To enable you to do this we are starting to test the ability to create one-to-one secret conversations in Messenger that will be end-to-end encrypted and which can only be read on one device of the person you’re communicating with. That means the messages are intended just for you and the other person — not anyone else, including us. Within a secret conversation, you can also choose to set a timer to control the length of time each message you send remains visible within the conversation.
Secret conversations have some little drawback i.e. Users will not be able to send and receive videos, GIFs, payments, and any other rich content file. Also, users have the option whether or not to encrypt their messages.
At the moment, the feature is still in the test phase. Though the feature is expected to start rolling out to users very soon.
