Facebook Messenger adds new features to encrypted discussions continuing make existing threads safer. Announced on Monday by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and in a blog post, encrypted chats will now include features that already existed in Messenger, such as themes, custom emoji, group profile pictures, link previews, and a person’s active status display. The Android version of Messenger will also support chat bubbles.
Encrypt all conversations in Messenger
While these features are not new, their inclusion in encrypted conversations should make Messenger attractive to more people as it continues to add end-to-end encryption to existing conversations. This development is part of a long-standing goal, namely default conversation encryption in the application.
The meta indicates that this change applies to a few months. Users may receive a warning that a one-on-one conversation has been modified to include this additional layer of protection. Group chats are not currently converting, but users can create encrypted group chats from the Messenger app.
The Meta Messenger app includes more features in encrypted conversations.
A Meta spokesperson clarified that encrypted messages will always be compatible with any device used by the service – be it a mobile phone, tablet or desktop computer – and will not be affected by the limitations of the device. By comparison, WhatsApp, which is also owned by Meta, currently supports encrypted chats on four devices besides a phone.
The development path was long for encrypting the Messenger app, which required the Messenger team. reestablish some features
to support secure messaging. In 2019, Facebook announced a plan to integrate Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. Although the three applications have not been merged, they all support various degrees of encryption messages, stories, personalized emoticons and avatars. The meta indicates that additional updates to deploy ciphertexts in the Messenger app are scheduled for 2023.
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