New EU rules mean WhatsApp and Messenger must be interoperable with other chat apps. Here’s how that will work.

Got it from here : https://infosec.exchange/@mattburgess/111885761552024420

NEW: WhatsApp will soon make it possible to chat with people who use other messaging apps. It’s revealed some more details on how that will work.

— Apps will need to sign an agreement with Meta, then connect to its servers.

— Meta wants people to use the Signal Protocol, but also says other encryption protocols can be used if they can meet WhatsApp’s standards

— WhatsApp has been testing with Matrix in recent months, although nothing is agreed yet. Swiss app Threema says it won’t become interoperable

  • TxzK@lemmy.zipEnglish
    15·
    11 months ago

    Does that mean I can send messages to WhatsApp using Signal?

    • pHr34kY@lemmy.worldEnglish
      101·
      11 months ago

      WhatsApp, Google Messenger, Facebook Messenger and Skype all implement the same Signal protocol.

      The article’s title is misleading, and did not explain how it would work at all.

      Like, will the protocol also add logins for different services? I remember having a messenger app a while ago (Trillian), which would merge MSN, ICQ and other chat platforms into a single experience.

      I can sorta get how DMs will work. Group chats may be much harder to implement.

      • ThePrivacyPolicy@lemmy.caEnglish
        4·
        11 months ago

        I had all but forgotten about Trillian! Man, that was huge in my circles back in my youth. Such nostalgia reading that name again.

      • JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nlEnglish
        3·
        11 months ago

        Also to add a very important question: will Facebook then be able to harvest all of our Signal metadata like they do for WhatsApp?

        • pHr34kY@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          11 months ago

          Hopefully the opposite is true. There’e end-to-end encryption and if the client isn’t written by meta, then meta can’t intercept after decryption.

          Being able to use meta’s chat platform without any of their code being executable on your device is a big improvement. They can’t scrape your contacts and data at all.

      • adONis@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        11 months ago

        Trillian? A while ago? Maaaan, that’s almost two decades ago… Nostalgia just hit me

      • TxzK@lemmy.zipEnglish
        14·
        11 months ago

        It would be cool tho if you could. I don’t wanna use WhatsApp but I’m basically forced to because everyone else in my family uses it.

        • smileyhead@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
          4·
          11 months ago

          Yeah, for me my family and close friends have no problem because I explained and told I am not going to use Facebook products. But when meeting new people, especially groups of people there is a big barrier.