According to three people close to the project, the social media company plans to release an optional encrypted communications mode for its Messenger app, which is used by more than 900 million people.
The system will let users deploy so-called end-to-end encryption meant to block both authorities and Facebook from reading users’ texts. Such technology has become more widespread in the post-Edward Snowden era as the technology industry tries to assuage fears about prying eyes in both the government and Silicon Valley headquarters.
Yet Facebook plans to make the tougher encryption an opt-in, because turning it on would get in the way of some new machine learning features it is building into Messenger, sources said.
Facebook’s move illustrates how technology companies are doubling down on secure messaging in the wake of Apple’s standoff with the FBI. At the same time, the companies also do not want to get in the way of their other business objectives.
Facebook would neither confirm nor deny its plans for adding more encryption to Messenger.
Every day we send out a free e-mail with the most important headlines of the last 24 hours.
Subscribe now