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Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) has announced the implementation of end-to-end encryption for Facebook and Messenger platforms.
What Happened: Meta’s new encryption feature implies that the firm will no longer be able to access user messages unless reported by a user.
Loredana Crisan, Meta's vice-president for Messenger, said that the Signal protocol and Meta’s Labyrinth protocol were used in developing the encryption, reported The Guardian.
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Despite optional encrypted messaging since 2016, this comprehensive encryption, first announced by the company's CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2019, faced delays due to concerns about child abuse detection on the platform.
The new encryption features will be available immediately, but it will take several months to roll out to Meta’s over one billion users.
Moreover, while Instagram is currently exempted, plans are underway to extend the encryption to the platform following the Messenger upgrade.
WhatsApp, another Meta platform, already has end-to-end encryption in place.
Why It Matters: The move by Meta aligns with similar measures adopted by tech giants like Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOG), which implemented end-to-end encryption as the default setting for its Android’s RCS messages.
Such trends underscore the tech industry’s increasing emphasis on user privacy.
However, encrypted messaging has also sparked controversy.
Earlier this year, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and other tech companies opposed the U.K.’s Online Safety Bill, which mandated messaging services to scan content for child sexual abuse material.
Critics argue that such measures increase the risk of data breaches and surveillance, posing a significant challenge to Meta and other tech firms championing end-to-end encryption.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
