Back in April, WhatsApp pushed out an update that saw the implementation of end-to-end encryption. Today, its parent company is taking a page out of its book as Facebook Messenger has just implemented end-to-end encryption.
Once you’ve installed the latest update for Facebook Messenger, you’ll be able to activate end-to-end encryption through the “Secret Conversation” option found in the settings menu. Besides encrypting texts, the Secret Conversations feature will also allow you to set a timer on your messages. Once the timer expires, the messages will be deleted automatically, giving you an additional layer of security.
Unfortunately, Facebook Messenger’s implementation of end-to-end encryption isn’t as straightforward as WhatsApp’s. For starters, Secret Conversations is available for new messages only, meaning old messages will not be encrypted. You’ll also need to send an entirely new message to the recipient through the Secret Conversation features, as all current chat bubbles will remain unencrypted. Lastly, both the sender and the recipient must have the latest update in order for the feature to work. Facebook Messenger’s implementation of end-to-end encryption may not be the most straightforward, but you’ll at least have the option to protect your chats from this point forward.
Source: Wired
