Facebook Messenger Might Have Encryption

The social networking site will be introducing full end to end encryption for its app

The social networking giant Facebook Inc. is under the works of introducing an optional end-to-end encryption feature for Facebook Messenger chat platform, according to The Guardian. The widely used messaging app has over 900 million users.

Sources closed to the matter has told that the feature is kept on option so that it couldn’t effect the new machine learning feature which the social networking titan is building into its messaging app such as chat bots. In the similar fashion, Google’s forthcoming messaging app, “Allo” is also featuring an end-to-end encryption option dubbed as “incognito mode.”

The company has not publicly disclosed about its plan in addition to declining to comment wile citing that company doesn’t respond to rumor mill or speculations however since Google has been in the race therefore it is highly likely that the company will follow the same traits. With end-to-end encryption, the networking site and the authorities will not have access to decipher the chat performed on the platform. Moreover, if upon users’ discretion, they want AI to read their message then the chat encryption will only take place during transit and not end-to-end.

After the one of the kind showdown between the strongest government of the planet and the most valuable tech company of the world Apple Inc. over the encryption issues, a lot of tech companies have been giving top priority to privacy and have embraced the end-to-end encryption. Earlier this year the FBI subpoenaed Apple to write software for it which will pass the security of the iPhone 5C used by one of the shooters of San Bernardino, Syed Farook.

The Cupertino Calif. firm however didn’t oblige under the concerns that this motion will put millions of devices’ security at risk. Eventually, FBI found out an alternative to bypass the security of the phone however the battle give birth to security concerns among the technology companies and the users alike. Many firms, subsequently, work to bolster the security. In fact when the battle was still in progress several tech companies stand with Apple during the fight against the FBI. The companies had similar concerns that if tech giant would give in to the demands then it is likely to set a precedent in addition to increasing the devices’ susceptibility.

One of the popular app of the company, WhatsApp has introduced the end-to-end encryption a couple of months ago –in April. Likewise, a Swiss software developer Proton Technologies released ProtonMail which is an email application that offers full end-to-end encryption. Similarly the tech titan itself has been actively involved in strengthening its security.

The specified time of the introduction of the option is not clear as yet however it is believed that Messenger’s new encryption options will be released “in the coming months.”

At the market which closed on Tuesday, Facebook Inc. stock stood at a price of $118.81. The 52 week range of the stock is $72 to $121.08.