Meta has announced the implementation of end-to-end encryption for calls and messages on its Facebook and Messenger platforms. This development, revealed on Thursday, ensures that only the sender and recipient can access the content of the messages, with even Meta unable to decipher them.
The encrypted chat feature, initially offered as an optional choice in Messenger since 2016, is now set to become the default setting for all users. Loredana Crisan, the head of Messenger, emphasized the extensive efforts and time invested in this project. “Our team, including engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts, and product managers, have diligently worked to rebuild Messenger’s features from scratch,” Crisan stated in a blog post.
This move follows a commitment made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2019 to introduce end-to-end encryption across the company’s platforms. This decision came in the wake of several high-profile controversies involving Meta, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal and concerns raised about user privacy after Nebraska investigators accessed private Facebook messages in an abortion case post the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
While Meta’s WhatsApp already features message encryption, the expansion of this privacy measure to Facebook and Messenger is expected to safeguard users from hackers, fraudsters, and other criminal activities.
However, this enhancement has not been without criticism. Opponents of encryption, including some law enforcement agencies and a 2022 Meta report, have raised concerns about potential misuses of the feature, such as child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and the propagation of hate speech.
Crisan has confirmed that the new encryption features are available immediately, though she noted that it might take some time for the update to reach all users globally.