Meta announced that it has started testing new features for end-to-end encryption on Messenger. The messaging service is bringing some standard features to end-to-end encrypted chats, including chat themes, custom chat emojis and reactions, group profile photos, link previews, and active status.
Meta tested end-to-end encryption features for Messenger for the first time in 2016. Last year, the company allowed users to opt for end-to-end encryption in Messenger’s group chats and calls.
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Features
- Chat themes: Users can set static colour and gradient colors as backgrounds for end-to-end encrypted chats.
- Custom chat emojis and reactions: Users can see a full menu of emoji reactions to customise the reaction tray to end-to-end encrypted chats.
- Group profile photos: Users would be able to set group photos for different chats.
- Link preview: Participants in an end-to-end encrypted chat will be able to preview links shared in the chat before opening it.
- Active status: The profile will display active status. Users may choose to turn off this feature.
- Bubbles on Android: Bubbles, once enabled, allows users to read and respond to messages while using other apps.
“Over the next few months, more people will continue to see some of their chats gradually being upgraded with an extra layer of protection provided by end-to-end encryption. We will notify people in these individual chat threads as they are upgraded,” the company said in a blog post.
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