Along with new chat themes and custom emojis, Meta has begun expanding tests of default end-to-end encryption for Messenger, aiming to ensure users that their conversations on the platform are safe and secure.
The tech giant wrote in a blog post that its team of engineers, cryptologists, designers and policy experts is “committed to rolling out default end-to-end encryption” on the messaging platform.
Over the next few months, more users will be notified when their chats are upgraded with end-to-end encryption. Meta says that the selection process for those receiving a new layer of protection is completely random, so “there isn’t a negative impact on our infrastructure and people’s experience.”
Meta first began testing end-to-end encryption features for Messenger in 2016, but it wasn’t until last year that the company introduced opt-in, end-to-end encryption for group chats and calls.
Now, Meta plans to integrate full encryption with Messenger as it has with its other chat app WhatsApp.
Those living in Ukraine and Russia also have end-to-end encryption on Instagram, but Meta has not announced any updates to its original plan to roll out default end-to-end encryption across all of its apps, which was slated for some point in 2023.