14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook will be getting a significant security update this summer, one that regards the implementation of end-to-end encryption for its Messenger application, according to The Guardian. Messenger has 900 million month active users, and the company intends to make the feature opt-in, and not activated by default.
Last month, Facebook announced that it launched the Bots on Messenger feature that allows companies to deliver automated customer support and content to users. Now, it seems that Facebook will be launching end-to-end encryption for protecting content that people share.
However, in order to ensure that Messenger’s machine learning features continue to expand and adapt with smart replies, Facebook requires access to user messages. These messages would go through company servers and get analyzed for appropriate content to be sent.
Encryption interferes with this, and it prevents Facebook from intercepting and analyzing texts. Encryption also scrambles data so that no one can read it, but the new feature won’t be activated by default.
The end-to-end encryption feature will be available in the coming months
The measure seems similar to Google’s option to enable or disable encryption when using the latest messaging application, Allo.
Earlier this year, Facebook’s WhatsApp also implemented end-to-end encryption to voice calls and group chats. The end-to-end encryption feature was based on Signal Protocol and was available on both Android and iOS app versions for WhatsApp’s over one billion users. Then, Telegram too provides end-to-end encryption for its users.
Facebook Messenger users will be able to pick from two available options: either allow Facebook to read and analyze the messages they share with friends in order to get smart replies and thus encourage machine learning, or enable end-to-end encryption but not get the advantages of suggested replies.
The new rumor says that the end-to-end encryption feature will be available on Facebook Messenger in the coming months.