Facebook to reportedly unite Messenger WhatsApp and Instagram messaging add end-to-end encryption1/25/2019
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Facebook to reportedly unite Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram messaging, add end-to-end encryption http://bit.ly/2B46PtT Facebook will reportedly make it easier for users across its family of apps to message one another, by uniting the messaging infrastructure of Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, and adding end-to-end encryption across all of the services. The move — which is expected to take at least a full year — is reportedly being done at the request of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the New York Times reported this morning. Users could still download each app separately but as a result, a WhatsApp user would be able to send a message to a friend who has Facebook or Intagram, but not WhatsApp. Zuckerberg reportedly also wants all of the apps to enable end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp is the only one of the three messaging services that uses end-to-end encryption by default, though it can be enabled on Messenger. The change comes at a time when Instagram and WhatsApp in particular have become more popular among some demographics than the original Facebook app. A report from AppAnnie last week found that in September of last year, WhatsApp had more monthly active users on Android and iOS than Facebook. Facebook at the time declined to comment on the finders or share new monthly active user figures. And a Pew survey last spring found that Instagram is more popular among teens than Facebook. WhatsApp had 1.5 billion monthly active users as of December 2017, while Facebook had 2.27 billion monthly active users as of last quarter. Instagram hit 1 billion monthly active users last June. The Times’ reports that Zuckerberg’s request to unite the three messaging services has in particular caused strife at WhatsApp, where ‘dozens’ of employees have argued with Zuckerberg about the request. What’s unclear is how the integration would effect how Facebook shares and store data of users who don’t use all of Facebook’s family of apps. WhatsApp does not store user data or messages, but the other Facebook apps do. A Facebook spokesperson told the Times that “we’re working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks.” VentureBeat has reached out to Facebook for additional comment, and will update this story if we hear back.
Business via VentureBeat https://venturebeat.com January 25, 2019 at 09:09AM
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