Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and CEO of parent company Meta, has issued a warning to Messenger users about screenshotting chats. He revealed that the updated Messenger will now notify users if someone captures a screenshot of a disappearing message. This new feature is reminiscent of the one found on Snapchat, where messages and images vanish after a certain duration.
The announcement comes as part of Facebook’s broader push for privacy and security. Zuckerberg stated, “New update for end-to-end encrypted Messenger chats so you get a notification if someone screenshots a disappearing message. We’re also adding GIFs, stickers, and reactions to encrypted chats too.”
Demonstrating the feature, Zuckerberg shared a chat exchange with his wife, Priscilla Chan, where she took a screenshot of his message, showcasing how the notification would alert users.
Called “Vanish Mode”, this feature was introduced after the recent addition of disappearing messages on Messenger. By swiping up in an existing chat thread, users can activate Vanish Mode. A second upward swipe returns the chat to regular mode.
Addressing the implementation, Bridget Pujals, Messenger Product Manager, and Manik Singh, Instagram Product Manager, emphasized user empowerment. They stated, “We designed vanish mode with safety and choice in mind, so you control your experience.”
This move by Messenger follows the footsteps of WhatsApp, another platform under Meta’s umbrella. WhatsApp had earlier rolled out a feature allowing messages to disappear after seven days, aligning with their aim to make online conversations feel as close to in-person interactions as possible.