Users demand intrusion-free private messaging: Facebook

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As the use of private messaging with apps like Messenger surges in the pandemic, people are demanding the experience free from unwanted intrusions, more protection from scams and hacking and privacy controls, according to Facebook.

The company said that while it expects to make more progress on default end-to-end encryption for Messenger and Instagram Direct this year, it's a long-term project and it won't be fully end-to-end encrypted until sometime in 2022 at the earliest. The users want to know how their data is being used and what data is accessible by Facebook or others when messaging.

"We should consider ways to give people more privacy settings and features within our messaging apps. This also requires thoughtful product design and user education to make the features easy to find and easy to use," the company said in a blog post on the future of private messaging.

People also want controls to manage unwanted interactions. "We already filter messages into request folders and we take steps to restrict adult-to-minor messaging on Messenger and Instagram. Last year, we introduced safety features like blocking images or links in message requests and messaging settings," said Facebook during its recent workshop.

Experts have asked Facebook to continue its efforts and do more to combat scams and protect people's information.

"They urged us to continue considering the human rights impact of our products. We need to find a balance of safety, privacy, and security. There is a clear need to balance the privacy and security of people's messages with maintaining a safe environment and providing data to law enforcement in response to potential real world harms," explained Gail Kent, Messenger Policy Director.

People are concerned about the security of their personal information online and the privacy of their messages. Seven out of 10 Americans said in 2019 that their personal information was less secure than five years earlier.

"Over the last four years, more consumers around the world have used messaging apps that offer more privacy features," Facebook informed.

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