Facebook Messenger Rolls Out End-to-End Encryption by Default

[MacRumors]

Meta is rolling out end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls on Messenger and Facebook, finally delivering on a pledge it committed to some time ago.

Messenger encryption originally arrived in 2016 in the form of "secret conversations," and plans to extend the platform's cryptographic features have been floated ever since.

According to Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger, Meta is only now turning on end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls between two people after years spent "rebuilding Messenger features from the ground up."

Since 2016, Messenger has had the option for people to turn on end-to-end encryption, but we're now changing private chats and calls across Messenger to be end-to-end encrypted by default. This has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right. Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We've introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests. We worked closely with outside experts, academics, advocates and governments to identify risks and build mitigations to ensure that privacy and safety go hand-in-hand.

The extra layer of security provided by end-to-end encryption means that the content of messages and calls are protected from the moment they leave the sender's device to the moment they reach the receiver's device. In other words, nobody, including Meta, can see what is sent or said, unless the message is reported.

End-to-end encrypted conversations also offer additional functionality including the ability to edit messages, higher media quality, and disappearing messages.

Meta notes that end-to-end encryption won't prevent users from using features like themes and custom reactions, but "it may take some time for Messenger chats to be updated with default end-to-end encryption."

As things stand, end-to-end encryption for group Messenger chats remains opt-in, and Meta previously said that Instagram messages will be encrypted "shortly after" the rollout of default encryption for Messenger chats.

Article Link: Facebook Messenger Rolls Out End-to-End Encryption by Default

 

[toobravetosave]

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️

 

[SoldOnApple]

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️

The standard RCS standard does not include end to end encryption. Apple is lobbying the RCS group to make the standard implementation include encryption. Google is using a modified version of the RCS standard, which naturally Apple does not want to implement on their devices.

 

[toobravetosave]

The standard RCS standard does not include end to end encryption. Apple is lobbying the RCS group to make the standard implementation include encryption. Google is using a modified version of the RCS standard, which naturally Apple does not want to implement on their devices.

Coulda been happening years ago and that’s on apple

 

[WarmWinterHat]

The standard RCS standard does not include end to end encryption. Apple is lobbying the RCS group to make the standard implementation include encryption. Google is using a modified version of the RCS standard, which naturally Apple does not want to implement on their devices.

Nor should they use a modified version. Encryption should have been enabled at the onset of the standard.

Glad to hear Messenger is doing this; my wife uses it often to chat with her clients. They aren't always tech literate, so enabling encryption can be difficult.

 

[LogicalApex]

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️

Facebook Messenger can message someone off a Meta product?

An Apple user can disable SMS fallback if they want to stay on iMessage and E2E encryption.

 

[toobravetosave]

Facebook Messenger can message someone off a Meta product?

An Apple user can disable SMS fallback if they want to stay on iMessage and E2E encryption.

and be unable to text half the country? That’s your solution?

 

[dominiongamma]

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️

Don’t trust Meta with anything

 

[rgeneral]

End to end but with meta back door

 

[Reverend Benny]

Encryption...the buzzword everyone loves to use to make everything sound more secure.
"Now 3rd parties can't tap in and see what you are writing to your mates, they have to contact us directly and we'll sell the full conversation to them instead" ;-)"

 

[displayblock]

Unsolicited spam messages were already an issue, and now I imagine they’re going to be even more impossible for Meta to moderate.

 

[CosmicTris392]

It wasn't already?

 

[LogicalApex]

and be unable to text half the country? That’s your solution?

My point is you can’t credit Meta and fault Apple for functionality that Meta doesn’t support (interoperability off their respective platform).

Said another way, you can’t message the rest of the country who isn’t using Facebook messenger… so…

 

[swiftapplefan]

What? They are getting it right now? All this time they weren't encrypted???

 

[toobravetosave]

My point is you can’t credit Meta and fault Apple for functionality that Meta doesn’t support (interoperability off their respective platform).

Said another way, you can’t message the rest of the country who isn’t using Facebook messenger… so…

I can fault Apple for intentionally ignoring rcs and how to evolve sms for years now lol

 

[iBluetooth]

How can they monetize the info in the messages then?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

What? They are getting it right now? All this time they weren't encrypted???

If you manually chose encrypted chat they would be, but not by default.

 

[swiftapplefan]

If you manually chose encrypted chat they would be, but not by default.

oh ok that's a relief

 

[AlmightyKang]

and be unable to text half the country? That’s your solution?

The other half of the country use WhatsApp at least here so meh. I haven't actually sent an actual text message for about 5 years.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

The other half of the country use WhatsApp at least here so meh. I haven't actually sent an actual text message for about 5 years.

No one uses WhatsApp in the US or Canada.

 

[toobravetosave]

The other half of the country use WhatsApp at least here so meh. I haven't actually sent an actual text message for about 5 years.

Good for you I send them all the time because every phone accepts them regardless of what apps you have

Downloading various apps because Apple won’t update their sms technology is piss poor

 

[neuropsychguy]

No one uses WhatsApp in the US or Canada.

No one in the U.S. meaning 49 million daily users? https://www.demandsage.com/whatsapp...on active,or Facebook Messenger over Whatsapp.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

No one in the U.S. meaning 49 million daily users? https://www.demandsage.com/whatsapp-statistics/#:~:text=There are 98 million active,or Facebook Messenger over Whatsapp.

For communicating with friends/relatives outside the US. It's not used internally. In addition, that 49 million is only 13% of the US population while 85% have a smartphone.

Don't get me wrong, I like it better than SMS, but no one I know uses it except when travelling. I used it constantly when I was in Mexico last year and Europe a few years ago, but haven't touched it since.

 

[iJulio]

The idea that Facebook Messenger is actually "encrypted" is laughable considering it's a company that needs to mine user data and sell advertisements to generate profit.

 

[toobravetosave]

The idea that Facebook Messenger is actually "encrypted" is laughable considering it's a company that needs to mine user data and sell advertisements to generate profit.

According to the comments section I'm supposed to use messenger or WhatsApp to communicate to people securely because apple shouldn't provide encrypted rcs