Compliance Management, Data Security, Encryption, Privacy

Facebook Messenger caught up to WhatApp security with opt-in encryption

Facebook Messenger quietly added the opt-in option to use encrypted messages in its latest update which was made available Sept. 28.

While the latest updates for iOS and Android haven't explicitly mention the new features, those who have updated their application can now use the “secret” option at the top right of the “new messages” screen to send encrypted messages that neither law enforcement nor Facebook can read.

“Your messages are already secure, but Secret Conversations are encrypted from one device to another,” reads a message in the app when a user first enables the feature. The update also included a Snapchat-style expiration time for messages which span from five seconds to one day.

Last year, Facebook subsidiary, WhatsApp, launched an end-to-end encryption feature which made it the largest network of its kind.

The encryption feature has to be enabled manually for every conversation and isn't enabled by default. 

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