TECH NEWS – So you don’t have to switch between using different messaging platforms, but can easily send messages from an external third-party platform.

According to Meta, both WhatsApp and Messenger will be interoperable with third-party messaging apps in Europe. The company explained: “In the first year, the requirement is for 1:1 text messaging between individual users and the sharing of pictures, voice messages, videos and other attached files between individual end users. In the future, the requirements will expand to include group functionality and calling. To maximize user security, we would prefer that third parties use the Signal protocol. However, since this must work for everyone, we will allow third parties to use a compatible protocol if they can demonstrate that it provides the same security guarantees as Signal.

So interoperability will only work if both endpoints communicate in encrypted form. Since Signal is designed to do just that, WhatsApp and Messenger already have this protocol in place. However, it will also be important later on that these third-party platforms will have to take responsibility for the content of videos, images or other media sent to WhatsApp and Messenger.

For this reason, Meta does not guarantee what the third-party messaging provider will do with messages sent or received, even if Signal encryption is in place on both endpoints. A lot may depend on how it’s used, because right now we don’t know who other than WhatsApp and Messenger will use it, and anyone who doesn’t enable it won’t be able to use it to send messages to WhatsApp or Messenger, so Meta’s technology would remain closed.

In any case, it’s convenient to not have to use half a dozen messaging apps to be everywhere. If we need even one less software/app, that’s good.

Source: WCCFTech, Meta