The social media giant is delaying the use of end-to-end encryption for Messenger and Instagram messages until at least 2023, a year later than previously promised.
Meta's head of global safety, Antigone Davis, wrote in The Telegraph that the company is pushing back its deadline to roll out end-to-end encryption as the default for billions of Messenger and Instagram users until at least 2023. Meta claims that it will be given extra time to coordinate with experts in the field of fighting online abuse while also protecting user privacy.
We don't plan to finish the global roll out of end-to-end encryption by default until sometime in 2023, as we are taking our time to get this right. As a company that connects billions of people around the world and has built industry-leading technology, we are determined to protect people's private communications and keep them safe online.
Government officials, institutions, and others raised concerns after Facebook announced that it was going to fully encrypt all messages in Messenger and Instagram in 2022. Concerns about whether end-to-end encryption will make it harder for law enforcement to protect public and child safety.
A balance can be achieved, according to Davis. Davis wrote that Meta is engaging with privacy and safety experts, civil society and governments to make sure they get this right.
The platform for younger users has been improved with features and changes, including the default of the accounts of users under the age of 18 to private. Meta is relying on people's goodwill to fight possible abuse on its platform.
When we think there could be a problem, we encourage people to report harmful messages to us. We can view the reported message, investigate the content, offer support, and take action once they do. We always respond to valid requests for data to support law enforcement investigations when we find abuse, and we make referrals to the authorities where we find it.
The majority of user information requested is non-encrypted in the first place, and that is why end-to-end encryption is needed, according to Davis. "This shows that we can continue to stop criminals and support law enforcement, even though there are no perfect systems," Davis wrote.
End-to-end encryption is already used on Meta, but it isn't used by all Facebook Messenger andInstagram users. In August, it was announced that a limited number of adult users in certain countries would be able to use end-to-end encryption chats. The most secure form of mobile communication, Signal, Telegram, and iMessage, are all end-to-end encrypted with no need to "opt-in" to the most secure form of mobile communication.
