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Messenger's End-To-End Encrypted Chats and Calls Are Available To Everyone (theverge.com) 41

Posted by BeauHD from the privacy-protecting dept.
Messenger has fully rolled out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to everyone, with toggles to encrypt text messages as well as group chats and calls. As The Verge notes, Messenger first added E2EE in 2016 back when it was still called Facebook Messenger and Meta was still Facebook. "Meta has discussed switching to E2EE as a default, but that may not happen until next year at the earliest, as some regulators claim this would harm public safety," adds The Verge. From the report: There are two ways Messenger users can opt in to the secure chats, either via vanish mode, by swiping up on an existing chat to enter one where messages automatically disappear when the window is closed or the original version that was introduced in 2016 as Secret Conversations. You can turn that on by toggling the lock icon when you start a new chat.

In addition to a full rollout of the feature, Messenger has some new features to enable as well. Now, in end-to-end encrypted chats, you can use GIFs, stickers, reactions, and long-press to reply or forward messages. The encrypted chats also now support verified badges so that people can identify authentic accounts. You can also save media exchanged in the chats, and there's a Snapchat-style screenshot notification that will be rolling out over the next few weeks.
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Messenger's End-To-End Encrypted Chats and Calls Are Available To Everyone More

Messenger's End-To-End Encrypted Chats and Calls Are Available To Everyone

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  • Messenger (Score:3)

    by John.Banister ( 1291556 ) * on Thursday January 27, 2022 @06:44PM (#62213753) Homepage
    My congratulations to Meta for getting their product named 'Messenger.' I suppose they wouldn't want to call it Meta Messenger lest people consider it was only useful for meta messages. I think it would be fun to make a front end for it and name that front end 'Interprocess.' Someone might want end-to-end encrypted secure interprocess messages.

  • Interesting post title (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Flexagon ( 740643 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @07:02PM (#62213769)

    ... Chats and Calls are Available To Everyone

    When I first read the post title, I assumed it was a breach announcement. Editors should be more careful.

    • My first thought was well why bother encrypting them?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ls671 ( 1122017 )

      I came here to post the same but I was going to say that the title is much more click-baity the way it is. I had to read a little to find out it wasn't a breach.

    • ... Chats and Calls are Available To Everyone

      When I first read the post title, I assumed it was a breach announcement. Editors should be more careful.

      It's exactly the level of encryption I would expect FB to achieve! Meta-encryption. It isn't actually encrypted, but they did run some sort of encryption-like algorithm while the data was in memory.

      They probably just encrypt the telemetry.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by NFN_NLN ( 633283 )

        Slahdot has changed. Decades ago you could count on someone to make a double ROT13 joke... not anymore. It would probably go over most of the audience now.

  • Who makes this program? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by MMC Monster ( 602931 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @07:06PM (#62213781)

    At first I thought it was Facebook Messenger, but it's just called Messenger. Then I thought it was Apple, but they're pretty good about calling their's iMessage. Is it Microsoft, or a new company? Someone new to avoid?

  • Always love these stories (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Like... are we supposed to believe them this time? Their 'public safety" concerns leave everything wide open, and, the NSA gets it all on demand, and, Facebook, or whatever the hell they call themselves, has been breached

  • Isn't the point of encryption... (Score:3)

    by b0s0z0ku ( 752509 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @07:17PM (#62213799)
    Isn't the point of encryption for calls and texts NOT to be available to everyone? What went wrong?

  • Confused (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jrq ( 119773 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @07:20PM (#62213811)
    I'm confused.
    Facebook buys WhatsApp, which used to tout its famous end-to-end encryption.
    Facebook gets called out for being able to intercept "encrypted" messages on WhatsApp in 2021
    Facebook now claims to offer end-to-end encryption in their "Messenger" (copyright that!)
    quis custodiet ipso custodes (again)

    • Let me help you with that:
      There's no need to use quotes around the word encrypted. They are encrypted. The encryption as far as everyone has been able to ascertain can't be broken in flight. The key is on your device so it doesn't even get broken in transit via Facebook.

      The "intercept" uses a content flagging system installed on handsets itself. No amount of encryption helps when a flagged message is side channeled to a review team, and this is done on a message basis so even then the review team doesn't se

      • I can't wait for the headlines 5 or 10 years from now that state Facebook has been reading everyone's conversations they thought they couldn't. It's fucking Facebook, they have proven over and over again to say one thing and do another. Hence the "quotes".

        • I can't wait for the headlines 5 or 10 years from now that state Facebook has been reading everyone's conversations they thought they couldn't.

          About as likely as seeing a headline 5 or 10 years from now that conspiracy theory nutbags have all decided to collectively leave Slashdot. I won't hold my breath. Your comment is not so much profound as it is a tired rehash of everyone's comment 5 years ago about WhatsApp.

          Your comment is the new fusion power, except being perpetually 20 years away it's perpetually 5-10 years away.

  • E2EE vs Transport encryption (Score:3)

    by Octorian ( 14086 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @07:20PM (#62213813) Homepage

    Now its time to see how quickly everyone acts completely oblivious to the distinction between end-to-end encryption (E2EE), and the ordinary SSL/TLS-style client-to-server encryption everything uses as a standard practice.

    Seems to happen every time an article about this subject gets posted somewhere.

  • "Are available to everyone"? (Score:3)

    by splutty ( 43475 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @08:27PM (#62213933)

    If they're available to everyone, then what's the point of them being encrypted!

    Some.. Really awkward wording there in the title. "Now available to everyone" would be a bit less stunted.

  • Their business model is harvesting the very data they say is inaccessible.

    • When they control the servers that arbitrate the key exchange they can just insert their own known keys and intercept everything.

  • Closed server (Score:3)

    by blackomegax ( 807080 ) on Thursday January 27, 2022 @11:30PM (#62214209) Journal
    Just a friendly reminder that the key exchange is through a closed source centralized server. The same fallacy as whatsapp E2E.

    If they ever got a warrant to wiretap you, they simply insert a "known" key, and you'd never know, as they listened or read every single thing you did.
    • {{{ -- they simply insert a "known" key, and you'd never know -- }}} --- How do we know they don't do that by default? I mean, Meta's business is the harvesting of user data for advertising purposes.
  • Strange title. I read this as "everyone's texts and calls are now available to anyone with an internet connection".

  • If... (Score:2)

    by jd ( 1658 )

    Messenger's End-To-End Encrypted Chats and Calls Are Available To Everyone, then it's terrible encryption.

  • What messenger? AOL? Oh. Meh
  • With backdoors for the fucking feds to roll through. And if a backdoors exist, which they certainly do, that means someone else very clever can find and will exploit them until the feds let everyone know theres a vuln because their 0day is gone. Its a joke at this point. Cant trust the zuck.

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