Here’s how to set up end-to-end encryption in the Messenger app
Recent incidents like Facebook turning over chat history to the police has brought the topic of online privacy upfront. With this, the question that arises is how to protect our privacy while staying in touch with friends and relatives? Even though many apps, which boasts their privacy features, exists, it is difficult to convince the people we want to stay in touch to use them. What can you possibly do if they ask you to chat on Facebook Messenger?
For starters, you can use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) on Messenger. E2EE means that nobody – not even Facebook’s company Meta – should be capable of reading your chats. This is accomplished with a special key that is assigned to each party’s account. Meta presently features E2EE on its Messenger platform only on a per chat basis. It aims on switching it to default mode soon.
Here’s how to begin an encrypted chat:
- In the Messenger app in your mobile, you need to select Chats in the bottom menu.
- After that tap on the Edit icon in the upper right corner that looks like a pen.
- That should be followed by tapping on the lock icon in the top right.
- The next step involves selecting the person you want to chat with using the E2EE.
However, certain accounts such as business or accounts of public figures doesn’t facilitate E2EE.
To convert an ongoing conversation into E222 encryption, tap the ‘i’ icon in the top right. After that, select Go to select conversation.
