Are Facebook Messenger Secret Conversations Really Secure?
Are Facebook Messenger Secret Conversations Really Secure?
You’re having a private conversation with someone and you trust them to keep the details of your chat private. But somehow, the information you shared in the conversation comes out in the open. Your private conversation wasn’t so private after all.
That’s the concern many people have when using the secret conversations feature on Facebook Messenger. It doesn’t help that the social media giant had come under fire in the past for invading users’ privacy.
So what are secret conversations on Facebook Messenger? Do secret conversations show up in Messenger? And how can you protect your private communications?
What Are Secret Conversations on Messenger?
Facebook is about creating meaningful connections in the virtual space. People from different places around the world meet on the biggest social network, relating to one another on mutual grounds.
Publicly commenting on posts is common practice on Facebook. But sometimes, there is a need to have one-on-one conversations. And Facebook caters to that need with its popular Messenger service.
Messages sent on Messenger appear to be private since they are between the sender and the receiver.
Other users on the app may not have access to such messages but Facebook employees, government agencies, and cybercriminals can easily access the messages because they aren’t encrypted .
Having a conversation on a medium that isn’t encrypted may not be a big deal when you are having general conversations. But it’s a different ball game when you are sharing confidential information. You want to be sure that you and the receiver are the only ones reading your messages.
Resonating with the need for its users to have private conversations that aren’t accessible by third parties, Facebook introduced secret conversations to Messenger in 2016. One would expect to see much fanfare about the feature as with most of its new products but that wasn’t the case: the secret conversations tool was launched quietly.
Available to both iOS and Android users, messages sent on the medium are encrypted. When you open Messenger, the system automatically creates an end-to-end channel between you and the other user.
What Does “Secret Conversation” Mean on Messenger?
On the general Facebook Messenger, you can start a conversation on one device and continue the conversation on another device. But that’s not the case with secret conversations on Messenger. Your chat is restricted to the device you initiated it on. You can’t access messages sent, on a different device.
The general Messenger stores your messages for a long time, allowing you to access your chat history. Considering the discreet nature of secret conversations, you aren’t encouraged to leave your messages for a long time on your device.
You have the liberty to activate a self-destructing timer on all messages you send, allowing them to be visible between five seconds and 24 hours. There will be no trace of your messages afterward, even if a third party gains access to your device.
This feature is similar to the vanish mode on Messenger that deletes messages in chats .
Besides texts, you can also send images and voice messages in a secret conversation. As a security measure, the system does not support payments.
How Many People Can You Add in Secret Conversations on Messenger?
The secret conversations in Messenger is defined as a conversation solely between only two people. As a result of this, you can’t have a group conversation on the platform. This makes a lot of sense because the fewer the people in the conversation, the lower the chances of the information getting out.
Is Facebook Secret Conversation Really Safe?
- Title: Are Facebook Messenger Secret Conversations Really Secure?
- Author: Michael
- Created at : 2024-08-28 02:54:56
- Updated at : 2024-08-29 02:54:56
- Link: https://facebook.techidaily.com/are-facebook-messenger-secret-conversations-really-secure/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.