If you enjoy holding private message conversations with others through your smartphone, Facebook has a new tool just for you.
Through Facebook’s Messenger app, a user is now able to send secured messages to another user that expires after a specific timeframe, from 5 seconds to a day. This Secret Conversations feature uses end-to-end encryption to protect messages, though individuals using the tool must have the latest operating system on their phones for it to work. Messages will only be visible on the device used to create them, and no other party will have access to these secured messages.
Encrypted and self-destructing messages are becoming increasingly popular as hackers, employers, government entities, and other parties with a potential interest in specific message contents continue their efforts to gain access to private electronic conversations. While the new secret conversations mode enhances the privacy of a conversation, keep in mind that no message is completely secure against prying eyes.
Here are a few ways in which others can read secured message conversations:
- Another individual may gain access to a messaging device that contains private conversations.
- The individual who receives a secured message can take a screen shot of it to share with others.
- The company that provides the application may have the means to obtain access to secured messages.
To avoid potentially negative consequences of using a secured conversations application, always use good judgement. Never threaten harm to others in a secured message or provide sensitive information that could harm you if the wrong party gained access to it. Using proper communication etiquette and controlling access to sensitive information are your best bets for maximizing the benefits of a secured messaging application.
To learn more about Facebook’s Secret Conversations feature, click here; https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/1084673321594605/?helpref=hc_fnav