December 7, 2023 at 09:31AM
Meta now offers default end-to-end encryption for all Messenger and Facebook chats and calls, providing enhanced security. Previously optional, this feature ensures only the communicating parties can read messages. New features like message editing and disappearing messages are also introduced, with group E2EE in testing for future deployment.
Meeting Takeaways:
1. Meta has announced that end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is now available for all chats and calls on the Messenger app and the Facebook platform.
2. E2EE ensures data is only readable by the communication participants with encrypted data visible to others as scrambled information.
3. The encryption process involves using a unique encryption key on the sender’s device and a private key on the recipient’s device for decryption.
4. E2EE has been an optional feature since 2016 through “Secret Conversations,” but is now enabled by default for all users.
5. With E2EE, message content is protected from the sender’s device to the receiver’s device, and not accessible by Meta unless reported by a user.
6. Communications and media through Messenger are stored in encrypted form on Meta’s servers, using a new system called Labyrinth for secure storage and retrieval, detailed in an associated whitepaper.
7. The E2EE mechanism in Messenger is based on the open-source Signal protocol.
8. E2EE for group messaging is in testing and will be released in the future.
9. Meta has introduced the ability to edit sent messages within 15 minutes of sending.
10. A new feature of “disappearing messages” has also been introduced which auto-delete 24 hours after being sent.