Twitter’s Direct Messages to Get End-to-End Encryption; Better Than WhatsApp, Instagram?

Twitter has been in the news ever since billionaire Elon Musk has taken command of the popular microblogging site. While Twitter offices are topsy-turvy with massive layoffs, the platform has been working on a security feature at the same time. Twitter's direct messages might soon get end-to-end encryption. Will this make Twitter a better platform than WhatsApp and Instagram?

App researcher Jan Manchun Wong has spotted the possible end-to-end encryption for direct messages on Twitter. She shared the details on Twitter saying, "Seeing signs of the feature being worked on in Twitter for Android."

Twitter Working On End-To-End Encryption

Wong's tweets also included code strings that highlight references to encryption keys. What's more, Twitter CEO Elon Musk replied to the tweet with a winking emoji. This could strongly indicate that end-to-end encryption is coming to Twitter.

Bringing in end-to-end encryption to Twitter's direct messages puts the microblogging site on par with other messaging platforms like Signal and WhatsApp. It's also a feature that Twitter brought in probably at the right time.

For the unaware, end-to-end encryption ensures messages and conversations between users stay between them. No one, not even the messaging platform or other third-party platforms can access the end-to-end encrypted messages.

Interestingly, end-to-end encryption for Twitter has been in the works since 2018. The platform was then working on a feature called "secret conversations" but it never showed up. This also made Twitter an unsafe place for direct conversations.

Twitter is bringing back end-to-end encrypted DMs

Seeing signs of the feature being worked on in Twitter for Android: https://t.co/YtOPHH3ntD pic.twitter.com/5VODYt3ChK

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) November 16, 2022

Twitter's New Feature Better Than Competition?

Before taking over Twitter, Elon Musk had strongly championed privacy and security for users. This included encrypted message platforms like Signal. Now as the CEO of Twitter, Musk is bringing in several changes, and end-to-end encryption could be one of the good changes coming to the platform soon.

Since encrypted messages make the platform safer for conversations, Twitter would become a favorable medium for many. Both WhatsApp and Instagram from Meta offer encryptions and are widely used worldwide. It remains to be seen if Twitter's encrypted messages further help in boosting its popularity.

Previously, Elon Musk said Twitter Blue isn't scrapped despite witnessing a barrage of fake accounts. You can read more about the blue tick subscriptions for Twitter here.