Meta has announced it is rolling out default end-to-end encryption for messages and calls on Messenger and Facebook. The feature and support enable further privacy and security across Meta’s platforms.
As detailed in a blog post, Meta confirms that with end-to-end encryption enabled, only the sender and recipient can see the contents of the messages. Meta states that end-to-end encryption has been supported as an opt-in function on Messenger since 2016. However, user demand indicated that Meta needed to change the default setting. Moving forward, end-to-end encryption is the standard.
“End-to-end encryption gives people more secure chats in Messenger,” Loredana Crisan, Vice President of Messenger says in the post. “These chats will not only have all of the things people know and love, like themes and custom reactions, but also a host of new features we know are important for our community.”
In addition, there are a number of features available across Meta’s platforms. For instance, the company confirms that users will be able to edit a message for up to 15 minutes after it has been sent. However, users can still report abuse, leading Meta to be able to see the original message in the event it’s been edited.
Mets goes on to confirm that disappearing messages on Messenger now last for 24 hours after being sent. With this, Meta has improved the interface, making it easier for users to understand when the feature is turned on. Users will continue to be notified if someone screenshots a deleted message.
Meta’s changes to end-to-end encryption are coupled with new read receipt control, allowing users to control when to show if they’ve read a message. Meta is also making it easier to access photos and videos. Users may also notice upgraded image quality. Meta is currently testing HD media and file-sharing improvements. However, additional features are on the way “over the coming months.”
Finally, users can now play voice messages at 1.5x or 2x speeds. Playback options including the ability to pick up where they left off is also available.
Almost 2024 and these companies are just clueing in that it’s useless if it’s opt in. It took Google until this year to figure that out. Do their users really find this “security and privacy as an afterthought” method acceptable?
Yes, most people don’t care since these platforms are free.
Look at Signal, and how their ad-free platform works. How much money they need to keep running. It’s insane. Someone has to pay for their servers to keep running.
If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. Meta is no different. End to end encryption is great by default, but the app is still free. Meaning, how is Meta making a profit off you? Think about that.
The only people who care about encryption, have moved to Signal app a long time ago.
My final message is 2 fold. 1, move away from Meta and use Signal. And 2 donate to Signal to keep them running.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk.