Since 2016, Facebook Messenger has offered the possibility of chat conversations between two people to encrypt. The same technology is now finally available for both voice and video calls. For the time being, however, only by default for conversations between two people. Group chats and video or voice calls between more than two participants: Facebook also wants to encrypt in the future, but this function is currently still being tested according to the social network. According to the company, only existing groups can currently take part in this test.
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In a limited test, Facebook subsidiary Instagram is also currently experimenting with end-to-end encrypted direct messages. An existing chat connection or mutual following is also required here. When exactly all Instagram users can use encrypted direct messages, Facebook still leaves open.
This is the advantage of end-to-end encryption
The term end-to-end encryption means the encryption of digital content across all transmission stations. This means that only the sender: in and recipient: in can see the actual message in plain text. In the case of the messenger, even Facebook could not read the message transmitted by the company itself.
Facebook has experience with end-to-end encryption. Messenger Whatsapp, which belongs to the group, has been using the technology since 2014. All Whatsapp messages have been encrypted by default since 2016. In the same year, Facebook Messenger was given the option of end-to-end encryption. But, as mentioned at the beginning, it was only available for chats between two people.
