Facebook Messenger launches voice and video calls
Users of the messaging app will have the option to activate encryption in video calls and prevent hackers from accessing the conversation
Facebook Messenger has launched a new option that allows its users to make voice or video calls with end-to-end encryption, a security feature that only allows call participants to access data.
The messaging app has given more privacy controls to users, who already had end-to-end encryption in chat messages since 2016 and are now able to activate the function also in video calls, as announced in a statement by Facebook.
Call encryption is an optional feature that users can enable if they wish. It offers protection to users against hackers, so that calls are encrypted, except for the participants, nobody can know the keys in the process.
Likewise, Facebook Messenger has introduced updated controls for messages that disappear automatically, in which users can now choose more options, so that the content expires between five seconds and 24 hours.
Facebook has also announced other news that will come soon to Messenger. The app will begin testing end-to-end encryption in group chats, including voice and video calls. The new feature will be piloted in the coming weeks. It will be accompanied by controls to avoid unwanted interactions, such as selecting that only friends can send chat requests.
A new feature is the option to protect Instagram direct messages with end-to-end encryption, which works in a similar way to Messenger chats. This novelty will be tested among a limited group of adult users of the social network in some countries.
Source: dpa
