Meta is making strides towards making end-to-end encryption (E2EE) the default setting on Messenger, and as part of this process, they’re adding some new features to make it easier and more secure to use. Starting today, Messenger users can customize their private conversations with a variety of themes, custom emoji and reactions, and profile photos for group chats. Additionally, link previews will now show users where a link will take them before they tap it, and the active status indicator can be turned off to hide your online presence.
For Android users, the app now also supports reading and replying to messages via chat bubbles, making it easier to keep up with conversations when multitasking. All of these features bring E2EE conversations closer to feature parity with standard chats and is a step in the right direction in terms of user security.
Meta’s plans to make E2EE the default for Messenger by the end of 2023 are still on track, and the company is rolling out the changes in stages. They will be randomly selecting chats to upgrade to E2EE, and when chosen, everyone in the chat will be notified.
The company is also working on bringing E2EE to Instagram, with the feature being tested in certain regions since August of last year. It’s unclear when the feature will officially launch, but Meta says they will provide updates on the progress over the course of 2023.
Overall, it’s great to see Meta taking the necessary steps to make sure user security is taken seriously and that their users have the best privacy protection available. We’re looking forward to seeing what else they have in store in the future.
Source: Meta’s blog post
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