Messaging has become so common among users of smartphones and the Internet that people often take for granted that their conversations may not always be between them. Unlike telephone talks or even telephone conversations, the possibilities of third parties, especially unauthorized actors, tired in private dialogue are much higher in internet-based messaging services. To combat such privacy intrusions, Google is finally turning off the switch for E2EE, short for end-to-end encryption, on its message platform. Whenever you meet certain requirements, that is.
E2EE messages have been in beta tests since November, and today’s announcement takes it to almost everyone. The benefits of encrypted messages are now well known for now, and, in a few words, it means that nobody, not even Google, will be able to seduce in their conversations. Unfortunately, the E2EE implementation of the messages requires that a certain set of elements be present to be able to work.
The base requirement is that E2EE will only work if both participants are using RCS, which means they need an active Internet connection. Given the nature of SMS and MMS, E2EE can not be applied to almost archaic protocols. The feature also only applies to individual conversations and not for group chats.
That Internet connection is critical and E2EE messages will be sent if any of the parts loses its connection. Messages will keep the message until a connection is restored, but users can choose to send the message as SMS without warranty or unsecured MMS. Users can also manually verify that their messages are encrypted in the details of the conversation.
E2EE is also available for messages on the Web, RCS is not required. In a somewhat amazing spin of events, Google does not allow users to disable this function for RCS chats, which makes it one of the most difficult privacy positions of the company.
