It has been confirmed that Facebook is going to combine three messaging apps, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram’s direct message function. This was reported by the New York Times as Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO revealed the same to them.
These three apps have helped many people in many ways to communicate with each other. Each app has a different use and targeted a different audience. When Facebook take possession of WhatsApp and Instagram Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that both apps should have a certain amount of right and developments. There have been new features introduced to all these three apps. For example Instagram stories and Facebook stories, and equally WhatsApp status. But the basic functions of all three apps remained unchanged and different. It was decided recently, at the beginning of this year a change have to be made. Mark further revealed that the main technical functions will remain unchanged but all three applications will be linked to each other allowing people to communicate without having to switch platform.
This changes will have to be personalized and every communication will be visible only to particular users and no others will be able to do so. Currently, only WhatsApp provides this default option. Facebook messenger allows encryption only in secret conversations, which can be obtained from the app, but it is not the default option. Instagram does not have any default option like that. This is good news for the people who look for privacy when communicating via social media. But it has to be done in a proper way. People always see communicating on social media as somewhat doubtful as privacy is not protected as an example like Facebook giving a track record of each chat you had.
Professor of Computer Science at the Johns Hopkins Information Security Institute, Prof. Matthew Green posted in a Twitter thread about this plan as “[T]his move could potentially be good or bad for security/privacy,” and “But given recent history and financial motivations of Facebook, I wouldn’t bet my lunch money on “good”. Now is a great time to start moving important conversations off those services.”
When you register to these 3 apps, the requiring details are different. A Facebook profile should have to have for messenger, an e-mail address for Instagram and your mobile number for WhatsApp. There are worries that how will Facebook use metadata from the future interactions between users across the platform. Some people do not wish to disclose their identities across the platform. They might not use any of these apps anymore and will look for alternative options. Facebook has still not come up or addressed any solution for this concern.
This is one of the most compelling reason for these three platforms to U-turn which was functioning properly till today and many people see that this is one of the reasons why both Instagram and WhatsApp’s founders stepped down from their board positions at Facebook last year.
What would you think? Will you share your personal stuff with strangers? Write down what you feel in the comment section below.
