Encrypted Twitter DMs with Toggle Coming, Confirms Elon Musk

Summary:

  • Twitter is getting optional encryption for direct messages.
  • Users will be able to toggle encryption on and off for each conversation individually.
  • Elon Musk said the feature will be available sometime later this month, or next month at the latest.

Twitter will soon allow users to encrypt their direct messages, company owner and CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a recent interview with Fox News‘ Tucker Carlson.

DM encryption is a feature that has been in the works at Twitter for months. It was even part of Musk’s plans for “Twitter 2.0,” which he shared internally with employees back in November following his takeover of the social media company.

“This will be great. Coming soon. Maximum protection for users,” Musk said in a tweet.

Twitter users have long wanted the ability to encrypt their DMs. “The degree to which various government agencies […] effectively had full access to everything that was going on at Twitter blew my mind,” Musk said during the interview. Third parties could even access users’ DMs, he added.

According to Musk, DM encryption will be “optional.” Users will be able to toggle encryption on and off for individual conversations as needed.

Musk said that he’s hopeful DM encryption will be out sometime this month, but no later than next month. “The goal of new Twitter is to be as fair and even-handed as possible,” he said.

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