Facebook is making five major changes to Messenger, including the ability to edit texts
FACEBOOK has alerted Brits to some big changes that have finally arrived on Messenger.
The social network has introduced several new features that are heavily inspired by WhatsApp.
It's not surprising that we're going through WhatsApp's book, since WhatsApp and Messenger are both owned by Mark Zuckerberg's tech powerhouse Meta.
Britons were greeted this week by an alert in the app saying “Messenger is getting an upgrade”.
One of the most sought-after features is the ability to edit messages and make them disappear even after 24 hours.
Users who don't like people to know if they've seen a text yet can also uncheck the read receipt checkboxes so you don't feel pressured to reply immediately.
One of the most controversial changes is that end-to-end encryption is now enabled automatically.
The security feature is designed to provide an extra layer of protection so that no one can intercept and read your messages.
But critics have long argued that this could make Messenger a safe haven for criminals and pedophiles.
Previously, you had to enable end-to-end encryption within the settings yourself.
Calls are also subject to the same protection.
Announcing the move in December, Meta said: “The extra layer of security provided by end-to-end encryption means the contents of your messages and calls with friends and family are protected from the moment they leave your device until the moment they reach your device. the recipient's device.
“This means that no one, including Meta, can see what is sent or said unless you choose to report a message to us.”
Why are critics against end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messenger?
Charities including the Internet Watch Foundation and the NSPCC have long condemned Facebook owner Meta over plans to fully encrypt Messenger.
When the tech giant announced in December that it would go ahead with the controversial change, the Internet Watch Foundation accused the company of “prioritizing the privacy of pedophiles over the safety of our children.”
“Meta is effectively rolling out the welcome mat for pedophiles,” charity head Susie Hargreaves OBE said at the time.
NSPCC boss Sir Peter Wanless echoed the concerns, saying: “By starting to roll out end-to-end encryption on their services, Meta is choosing to turn a blind eye to crimes against children that we know are taking place on spread their platforms.”
Meta states that end-to-end encryption “helps protect people from hackers, fraudsters and criminals.”
“We don't think people want us to read their private messages, so we've developed robust security measures to prevent, detect and combat abuse, while maintaining online safety,” a spokesperson said.
In a further effort to increase security, users are also asked to set a PIN so that no one can snoop on their messages.
Meta says it has also made improvements to media within Messenger.