Facebook Messenger to Introduce Same Encryption As WhatsApp

[Umair Malik]

Facebook could soon be introducing the same end-to-end encryption feature that all of WhatsApp's one billion users currently enjoy.

Sources close to the social network have suggested the Messenger application will roll out encryption to its 900 million users.

However, rather than force the upgrade onto people Facebook will let users choose whether or not to activate it.

This is because introducing end-to-end encryption could interfere with Facebook's new chatbots - artificial intelligence that companies and groups can use on Messenger to help with queries.

Encryption has become (for some) a much-desired feature for chat applications as it prevents both the authorities and the host company from reading the contents of the messages.

It adds an extra layer of security against potential hackers and also means the company - in this case, Facebook - can't be required to hand over the contents of the messages to outside sources.


Facebook could soon be introducing the same end-to-end encryption feature that all of WhatsApp's one billion users currently enjoy.

Sources close to the social network have suggested the Messenger application will roll out encryption to its 900 million users.

However, rather than force the upgrade onto people Facebook will let users choose whether or not to activate it.

This is because introducing end-to-end encryption could interfere with Facebook's new chatbots - artificial intelligence that companies and groups can use on Messenger to help with queries.

Encryption has become (for some) a much-desired feature for chat applications as it prevents both the authorities and the host company from reading the contents of the messages.

It adds an extra layer of security against potential hackers and also means the company - in this case, Facebook - can't be required to hand over the contents of the messages to outside sources.

"It seems that the large players in the technology industry are taking more notice of people’s right to communicate privately. Facebook is taking another step towards securing users data and being more aware of privacy," said Jacob Ginsberg, senior director at encryption company Echoworx .

"As email threats get greater, it’s prudent to have another solution in place to handle sensitive information.

"Whatsapp, Google and now Facebook have been instrumental in 'consumerising' encryption to educate the public about the improper attempts from law enforcement to weaken the technology and snoop on our conversations in the interest of national security," he told Mirror Online.

In April, Facebook-owned WhatsApp turned on encryption by default for its billion users.