After testing the feature on chiffon erotice bondagea small set of users since July, Facebook has now enabled end-to-end encryption for all Messenger users.
The way it's implemented, though, not many of those users will care.
SEE ALSO: You can now encrypt your Facebook Messenger chatsFirst, a word on end-to-end encryption. Despite Facebook's claims that your chats on Messenger are pretty secure even without it, end-to-end encryption is what you want. The presence of the feature means it's very hard for your messages to be intercepted and read by a third party, be it a malicious hacker, internet provider or a government organization snooping around (and there's good reason to believe they are). With end-to-end encryption, the content is encrypted on your device, delivered to the recipient's device and decrypted there -- and vice versa.
In practice, it means that even if the police asks Facebook to hand over the contents of your chat, the company can't do it; it simply cannot decrypt the data.
It's a good thing that Facebook is adding this feature to Messenger. The problem is in the way it's implemented.
The feature is not advertised anywhere. In fact, Facebook (at the time of this writing) hasn't publicly announced it at all (except in July, when it said the feature has entered a testing phase) -- the company merely shared the news that the feature is available to all users with Wired. And even after you update your Messenger to the newest version, you won't get any sort of pop-up or message telling you there's an important new feature there. If you haven't read about it in the media, you likely won't even know it's there.
And then there are all the limitations, which will surely put off potential users. Videos and GIFs aren't supported. Group chats aren't supported, either. Other platforms aren't supported -- for example, you can't send a self-destructing message on your web-based Messenger, only on an iPhone or an Android phone.
And even when you choose to encrypt a conversation, you have to do it for each individual chat; you need to tap on a nondescript "i" menu item (I'll bet you never used it before), and then choose "Secret Conversation" to start an end-to-end encrypted chat. There's another way to do it: Hit the big "+" in the lower-right corner when you start Messenger. Choose "Write Message," tap on the tiny lock in the upper right corner, then choose a name from the list below. Are you going to remember to do that every time you start a new chat? I won't.
Some of these missing features may have been tough to implement; I can see how making the Secret Conversation mode seamlessly work with older messages might be challenging. And Facebook is constantly enhancing the Messenger experience with new features that may be hard to encrypt -- chatbots, games and apps come to mind -- which in turn makes it hard for Facebook to make end-to-end encryption the default.
But if a user wants to switch encryption on for Messenger (and perhaps forego some of those advanced features), there should be a simpler way to do it.
Want to see how it's done? Install Signal (which, by the way, is built by the folks who built the security protocols used in Messenger's Secret Conversations) on your phone. After the initial set-up process, everything is end-to-end encrypted. Send a video or a photo, start a group chat -- it's all encrypted. If you really want to send a message via SMS -- which is horribly insecure -- you can hold the "send message" icon to choose that option.
End-to-end encryption should be easy to turn on for all your chats.
That's the way things should be, not the other way around. End-to-end encryption should be easy to turn on for allyour chats, and it should be opt-out, not opt-in. Yes, tech-savvy folks will know to turn the feature on, but let's face it -- folks who care about security likely won't use Messenger for sharing any sensitive information in the first place. This feature should be for the rest of the user base, for all those users (and that's the vast majority) who don't even know (or care) what end-to-end encryption is. It should just work.
Google's recently launched Allo received a fair amount of flak when it launched with encryption opt-in, instead of opt-out. The fact that a feature is there is not enough, many have claimed, including NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Thinking about #Allo? Last year, our secret court approved 100% of requests for surveillance. They would cover Allo. https://t.co/oYtc3Pu8tx
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 21, 2016
Perhaps Facebook's implementation of end-to-end Messenger encryption is just a first step; it's certainly possible that the company plans to improve it down the road. I've asked Facebook whether that's the case, but the company merely pointed me to its July posts about the feature being tested.
As is, most people won't bother with a setting that needs to be turned on for each conversation and cripples their Messenger, removing the ability to send videos and GIFs. It's a pity, because Messenger's 900+ million users would seriously benefit from it.
Topics Facebook
This app will tell you when a pregnant woman needs a subway seatHere's where to download those amazing Leia signs at Women's MarchWomen of the tech world march for their companies and their causesChelsea Clinton shuts down trolls who targeted Barron TrumpWomen in this country are marching for their right to go outThe most surprising team changes in pro 'League of Legends'Half an onion desperately wants to get more Twitter followers than Donald TrumpHere's a twist: M. Night Shyamalan is king of the box office againChelsea Clinton shuts down trolls who targeted Barron TrumpTennis pros: Don't hit ball kids 'cos your hopes and dreams will be dashedFalcons, Patriots punch their tickets to the Super BowlUSA vs. Haiti 2025 livestream: Watch Concacaf Gold Cup for freeTwitter proves Adidas Superstars still dominate fashionable footwearThe people have spoken and they want Popovich/Kerr 2020'The Office' intro recut with Trump's cabinet just makes senseSnapchat for iOS gets big redesign, along with searchSaudi Arabia vs. Trinidad and Tobago 2025 livestream: Watch Concacaf Gold Cup for freeBlack women are dying of cervical cancer at twice the rate of white women, study showsSweet thank you card from ball girl to tennis pro JoWatch Mattel's adorable new 'Dads Who Play Barbie' campaign 'Battlefield 2042' Specialists, explained Goop has been reported to UK regulators for 'potentially dangerous' claims 'Chloe' review: BBC and Prime Video's mystery series is a tense identity charade 11 burning questions for 'Stranger Things 4: Volume 2' Watch this joyous pup jump into a gigantic leaf pile Hacker steals $100 million from Harmony blockchain bridge Elmo just got his COVID vaccine and we're so proud of him Ibram Kendi's 'Goodnight Racism' is the dream parents should have for their children Mobile World Congress will stay in Barcelona until 2030 Here are the most unforgettable Wikipedia vandalism trolls of all time GLAAD reports a record 'Wordle' today: Get the answer, hints for June 26 Airbnb permanently bans parties after testing the policy when COVID began Apple says it will unveil new products in upcoming months Period tracking app Stardust becomes the first to offer e2e encryption Toyota is recalling 2,700 electric bZ4X cars over faulty wheels Angie Thomas' YA book 'On The Come Up': Watch the Paramount+ film teaser Snapchat Plus subscription is official, and it will cost $3.99 'Gold diggin' dog scams McDonald's customers pretending to be a stray, owner says Yes, there are 100 million rogue black holes wandering our galaxy
3.6059s , 10195.7421875 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【chiffon erotice bondage】,Openness Information Network