Facebook’s parent company, Meta, offers Messenger a feature called Secret Conversations, which provides end-to-end encryption and doesn’t store chat transcripts on cloud servers. Now, these messages don’t have to be blue/gray bubbles on a drab white background – Meta introduces chat customization.
Different users in Secret Chat can set nicknames, chat topics, custom emoji and reactions, and group photos – almost all features that can make regular chats with each friend and group of friends different and unique.
Other changes include link previews, active states, and even speech bubbles on Android. That’s right – Messenger and Meta can’t read and store your messages, but they can still be displayed around your phone’s UI if the app is running.
It’s important to mention that secret conversations are device-bound, meaning they can only occur on smartphones or computers that have set up an encrypted connection. However, they can be transmitted with a unique key.
Universal end-to-end encryption is also being tested for default conversations, Meta revealed in the same release. The company “took the time to build a team of talented engineers, cryptographers, designers, and policy experts” who are all working on new features.
Over the next few months, more and more people will gradually see some of their chats upgraded with an extra layer of protection, and Messenger will notify each chat and thread.
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