Facebook Messenger announced it’s testing end-to-end encrypted backups, while also bringing more updates on end-to-end encrypted messages and calls. Here’s what’s changing with the app.
Facebook Messenger is now testing secure storage to back up messages in case people lose their phones or want to restore their message history on a new, supported device. The company’s product manager director, Sara Su, writes:
As with end-to-end encrypted chats, secure storage means that we won’t have access to your messages, unless you choose to report them to us.
She says secure storage will be the default way “to protect the history of your end-to-end decrypted conversations on Messenger, and you’ll have multiple options for restoring your messages if you choose to do so.”
One of them will be to create a PIN or generate a code – you’ll also be able to choose to restore the conversations via third-party cloud services. For iOS devices, users can use iCloud to store a secret key that allows access to the backups.
Over the next few weeks, Facebook Messenger will also be rolling out more tests and updated to E2E encrypted chats, including:
- Expanding features and surfaces: Soon, deleted messages will sync across your other devices. The ability to unsend messages and reply to Facebook Stories;
- Code Verify: This is an open-source web browser extension that automatically verifies the authenticity of the code when using the web page of Messenger;
- Testing end-to-end encryption of chats: Messenger will make chats E2E encrypted for some people by default.
Facebook Messenger will also remove Vanish Mode on the platform as it focuses on disappearing messages. Last but not least, the company is testing expanded chat features on Instagram. Soon, it will include more people in more countries.
How do you feel about these changes coming to Facebook Messenger and Instagram? Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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