WhatsApp Introduces End-to-end Chat Encryption Feature

(RTTNews) - WhatsApp, the instant messaging platform owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. (META), has rolled out a new feature that enhances the visibility of end-to-end encrypted conversations. The update was released on March 9 exclusively for the Google Play Beta Program users.

The latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.6.11 update introduced this feature, aimed at helping users easily identify securely encrypted chats.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp for Android now displays a new end-to-end encryption indicator below the name of the contact or group during conversations. This indicator shows the message "end-to-end encrypted" along with a lock icon, reassuring users of the security of their messages. This feature briefly appears at the top of chat threads before being replaced by the last-seen indicator.

The report stated that WhatsApp is currently testing the identification of end-to-end encrypted chats on Android to enhance visibility and provide users with a sense of security.

This new encryption visibility feature comes just days after Meta published a post highlighting the issues it is facing with end-to-end encryption and the resulting delays in implementing third-party chats in Europe following the enactment of the Digital Markets Act.

Currently, the feature is accessible to a limited group of beta testers who update WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store. The rollout of this feature is expected to expand to more users in the coming weeks, offering enhanced privacy and security to all WhatsApp users.