WhatsApp and Messenger, both owned by Meta, are set to undergo significant changes to comply with the new EU law, the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This law requires designated messaging services to enable interoperability with third-party messaging services that meet specific eligibility criteria, including technical and security requirements.
As of March 7th, the DMA has come into force, and Meta has confirmed its readiness to implement the act's initial requirements. Initially, the interoperability will allow for 1:1 text messaging between individual users, as well as the sharing of various media types like images, voice messages, and videos. Future phases will expand functionality to include group messaging and calling.
While the changes are currently limited to the EU, global governments are monitoring the situation closely, with the potential for similar legislation to be enacted worldwide in the future.
Meta has clarified that the interoperability feature will be opt-in, meaning users will have to explicitly choose to send and receive messages from services outside of WhatsApp and Messenger. Third-party messaging services will also need to request permission to join the interoperability network.
Meta has outlined that third parties must use the Signal protocol, which is considered the gold standard for security, to participate in the interoperability feature. The company emphasizes the importance of maintaining user privacy and security throughout the process.
Initial reviews of the new interoperability feature have been positive, with praise for the opt-in nature of the service and the ability for users to control which apps they interact with. This approach is seen as beneficial for enhancing privacy and security, particularly in combating spam and scams.
While the specifics of the global availability of this feature remain unclear, Meta has affirmed its commitment to upholding user privacy and security standards in compliance with the DMA. The company continues to prioritize end-to-end encryption for personal communications, with the Signal Protocol serving as the foundation for secure messaging.
As the implementation of the interoperability feature progresses, further details on its functionality and availability to users outside the EU are expected to be revealed.
