Facebook Messenger voice and video calls finally get end-to-end encryption

(Pocket-lint) - Facebook Messenger is introducing end-to-end encryption, oregon E2EE, for dependable and video calls.

Facebook began trialing end-to-end encryption successful 2016 - erstwhile it added a mysteriously named "secret conversations" diagnostic to its Messenger mobile app that offered the - admittedly, buried - enactment to unafraid one-on-one substance chats with end-to-end encryption. In the past year, Facebook said it's noticed a surge successful the usage of audio and video calling. So, it's upgrading this chat mode truthful you tin unafraid your dependable and video calls, if you choose.

The societal web announced successful a blog station connected 13 August 2021 that Facebook Messenger present sees much than 150 cardinal video calls a day, truthful it's rolling retired end-to-end encryption for dependable and video calls arsenic good arsenic much functionality for disappearing messages. Keep successful caput Facebook-owned WhatsApp has agelong secured dependable and video calls with E2EE, preventing anyone but a sender and receiver from seeing oregon proceeding the encrypted data.

There person been respective reports implicit the years astir Facebook perchance adopting a afloat end-to-end encrypted strategy crossed each its messaging apps - including WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. But, to date, the societal web has yet to present specified a unified feature, unfortunately. 

Facebook did, however, denote connected Friday that it's moving a constricted beta trial connected Instagram. In this trial, immoderate users volition beryllium capable to opt-in to E2EE for nonstop messages  - truthful that's a start. Facebook Messenger is besides getting further E2EE trial features. Some Messenger users volition spot an enactment for end-to-end encrypted radical chats and calls betwixt “friends and household that already person an existing chat thread oregon are already connected". 

Finally, arsenic for the disappearing messages update successful Messenger, Facebook is introducing much options for choosing erstwhile a connection expires. You'll present spot from betwixt 5 seconds and 24 hours. It primitively offered one-minute, 15-minute, one-hour, four-hour, and 24-hour increments.

Everyone connected Facebook Messenger volition spot this disappearing messages update, arsenic good arsenic end-to-end encryption for dependable and video calls.

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Originally published connected 14 August 2021.