Two months after Facebook began trialing Secret Conversations, the company has unleashed the "opt-in" end-to-end encryption feature, making it available to all 1 billion of its global users, Wired reports.
With the update, Messenger joins the majority of other chat apps that have already stepped up the security of their users’ privacy. As chat apps continue to become central to communication, the ubiquitous rollout of the end-to-end encryption will help assuage fears that hackers or law enforcement can access user information.
Requiring users to “opt-in” to Secret Conversations could impede its use by consumers. In order to use Secret Conversations, users must manually select “Secret” each time they begin a new encrypted conversation with their friends. They can also decide whether to add an expiration timer on sent messages, ranging from five seconds to 24 hours. However, turning on the feature will limit the number of actions users can take when sending text messages, stickers, and photos. And the feature needs to be turned off in order to access animated GIFs, chatbots, and businesses.
The chat app launched Secret Conversations likely to appease two factions:
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End users want to protect the increasing amounts of personal data they’re inputting. Many chat apps are furthering the number of services available to users in-app, including transportation, online shopping, and peer-to-peer payments. This is generating higher demand for a secure platform that protects the data being exchanged between users.
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Governments and law enforcement authorities are concerned that encryption tech obstructs intelligence. Because encryption blocks third-party access to a message's content, these parties argue that they will lose access to key evidence that could forestall an impending terrorist attack or obstruct legal investigations. However, by limiting the number of actions users can make, as well as making the feature opt-in is one way Facebook can ease pressure from these players.
End-to-end encryption also inhibits AI technology, like integrated chatbots. AI software, like Messenger’s virtual assistant M, relies on the collection of user data to function, and its ability to collect and analyze user data can be inhibited by end-to-end encryption. Offering encryption as an “opt-in” feature is one way to strike a balance. Google’s Allo offers a similar feature in order to provide sufficient data for Google Assistant.
Messaging apps have evolved beyond simple text communication tools to include commerce, file sharing, artificial intelligence, and more. And that evolution is ongoing.