- Meta announced that it has enabled end-to-end encryption by default for all communications made on Messenger and Facebook.
- This encryption method increases security by ensuring that transmitted data can only be read by the sender and receiver.
- Additionally, messages sent with the Meta update can be edited within 15 minutes and automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Meta announced that end-to-end encryption is now automatically activated for all chats and calls made on the Messenger application and the Facebook platform. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) provides security by ensuring that data can only be read by communicating parties. Any other person who accesses this encrypted data cannot see the content.
It encrypts the sender’s data with a special encryption key, ensuring that it is transmitted securely over the internet. The person who receives the message can decrypt this password with a key that he can only use on his own device. Meta states that the E2EE feature, which was previously optional in Messenger under the name “Secret Conversations”, is now enabled by default for all users.
“The added layer of security of end-to-end encryption means that the content of your messages and calls are protected from the moment they leave your device to the moment they reach the recipient’s device,” Meta officials said. The company emphasizes that no one, including Meta, can see the sent messages or conversations unless the users want to.
Meta states that data used for communication and media exchange will be stored in an encrypted form on Meta servers and protected by “Labyrinth”, a new encrypted storage and encrypted text retrieval system.
The E2EE mechanism in Messenger is based on the Signal protocol, and for those using browser-based versions of Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook, Meta’s browser plug-in called Code Verify checks that the JavaScript libraries used to secure the communication are up-to-date and have not been modified.
While Meta stated that E2EE in group messaging in Messenger is currently being tested and planned for future versions, it also announced new features where sent messages can be edited within 15 minutes after being sent and automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Compiled by: Ayça Ayaz
