Meta’s Messenger app finally uses end-to-end encryption by default.
For most people, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a completely invisible upgrade.
But it greatly improves the privacy of all users on the Messenger platform.
With E2EE, your chats are protected from prying eyes.
End-to-end encryption has been a years-long project for Meta.
A small subset of users gained access to E2EE in 2016, and awider rolloutoccurred in 2022.
Now that Meta has solved its compatibility problem, all one-on-one chats are encrypted by default.
Just to reiterate, E2EE is the default option for personal,one-on-onechats and calls.
This update also includes a bunch of small improvements.
Messenger finally allows you to disable read receipts, and typo-prone users can now edit their messages.
Meta can also see the full edit history of any messages that are reported.
Messenger no longer allows you to set a custom time for disappearing messages.
They now disappear after exactly 24 hours.
Obviously, Meta isn’t known for respecting user privacy.
And, just last year, Meta shared amother and daughters' chatlogwith the Nebraska police.
The best test of Meta’s E2EE system will be time.
Before you go and share personal information on Messenger, double-check that your chat is actually encrypted.
The new default setting may take a few months to complete its global rollout.
