Twitter has been witnessing several changes ever since Elon Musk took the reigns of the platform after a $44billion takeover last month. It is anticipated that a few of the former Twitter components, viz. Vine may be brought back. Alongside this, a significant feature that might soon be rolled out on the popular social media application is end-to-end encryption of direct messages.
A Twitter user, Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane), whose predictions about the app in the past have been spot on, shared a tweet mentioning the same. “Twitter is bringing back end-to-end encrypted Direct Messages. Seeing signs of the feature being worked on in Twitter for Android,” said Wong. Shortly after, Twitter’s present CEO, Elon Musk, commented on her tweet with a ‘wink’ emoji hinting at the likelihood of the actual implementation of the feature in the near future.
Twitter is bringing back end-to-end encrypted DMs
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 16, 2022
Seeing signs of the feature being worked on in Twitter for Android: https://t.co/YtOPHH3ntD pic.twitter.com/5VODYt3ChK
Twitter is bringing back end-to-end encrypted DMs
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 16, 2022
Seeing signs of the feature being worked on in Twitter for Android: https://t.co/YtOPHH3ntD pic.twitter.com/5VODYt3ChK
End-to-end encryption entails complete privacy and security of the messages shared between two parties on the platform. The content of the conversation is available only to the sender and the receiver, with even the platform being unable to intercept the messages. This move takes the security of the instant messaging feature on the app a notch higher and makes it emerge as a competitor to popular apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Twitter, the microblogging destination for years, falls behind rivals like WhatsApp and Telegram in terms of novel features like enhanced communication, encrypted group chats, video calls, voice calls, audio notes and so on.
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According to a tweet by Wong, the idea of encrypting Twitter DMs was in the implementation phase back in 2018. However, the project was later shelved. Musk has also made a strong case for the messaging service Signal, a well-liked communication tool that offers a variety of security and privacy-focused features like end-to-end encrypted messages. It’s unclear if Twitter will add more features geared at direct contact in the future.
Use Signal
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021
Despite not having as many features as some of its rivals, Signal has a loyal fan base of privacy-conscious users, the majority of whom also switched to the app during the 2021 WhatsApp Privacy Policy issue.
