Facebook’s parent company Meta is rolling out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for group chats on Messenger, formerly called Facebook Messenger. You can now enable E2EE for all group voice calls, video calls, and text messages on the app. The feature is already available for one-to-one conversations.
Unfortunately, E2EE is still an optional feature on Messenger. It is not enabled by default. You need to manually opt-in if you want your conversations on the platform to be end-to-end encrypted. Meta doesn’t plan to enable the feature by default until 2023.
Meanwhile, it is improving the end-to-end encrypted messaging experience on the app by adding new features. Along with expanding E2EE to cover group chats, Meta has also introduced a screenshot notifications feature that, as the name suggests, notifies you when the other party takes a screenshot of the conversation. This applies to disappearing messages in end-to-end encrypted chats. Messenger already offers this feature in Vanish Mode. It will be available for individual disappearing messages “over the next few weeks.”
End-to-end encrypted conversations on Messenger will now also have access to most features available on un-encrypted conversations. These include GIFs, stickers, reactions, typing indicators, and replies. You can either tap and hold a message or swipe on it to send a reply to that specific message.
Additionally, you can now also forward messages from an end-to-end encrypted conversation to other people. You will get the option to forward by long-pressing on a message. You can then select an existing conversation (group or individual) or create a new group to forward the message.
End-to-end encrypted chats on Messenger are getting more new features
Other new features coming to end-to-end encrypted conversations on Messenger include verified badges and media edits. Facebook already offers verified badges (white tick) for users to identify authentic accounts of prominent personalities. These ticks will now appear in Messenger conversations even if you opt-in for E2EE.
Additionally, the ability to edit a photo or video before sending will also now be available in end-to-end encrypted conversations. You can edit audio, add text or stickers, and crop the file before sending it. Last but not least, Messenger is now letting users save media files in end-to-end encrypted chats. You can save a video or photo by long-pressing on it. Of course, this doesn’t work for disappearing messages.
All of these features should be available to users in the coming weeks. You might want to keep the Messenger app updated to get to ensure that you aren’t missing out on the latest features. You can click the button below to update or download the app from the Google Play Store.
2022-01-28 15:06:06