Twitter launches encrypted DMs – but Elon Musk warns users NOT to trust the WhatsApp feature yet 

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Elon Musk has warned Twitter users that the new WhatsApp-style feature should not be trusted – following its launch yesterday.

Encrypted messages were released Wednesday as part of Twitter’s goal to become the “most trusted platform on the web.”

But Musk has now emphasized that the privacy feature “isn’t quite there yet,” despite his initial jokes that he couldn’t view messages even with a “gun to.” [his] head’.

Twitter said, “As Elon Musk said, when it comes to direct messages, the norm should be that if someone puts a gun to our head, we still can’t access your messages. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re working on it.’

Encryption converts messages into coded text that cannot be read by anyone except the intended recipient.

Elon Musk warned Twitter users that the new encryption features should not be trusted just yet

WHAT IS END-TO-END ENCRYPTION?

End-to-end encryption ensures that only the two participants in a chat can read messages, and no one in between – not even the company that owns the service.

End-to-end encryption is intended to prevent data from being read or secretly altered as it is sent between the two parties.

The cryptographic keys required to access the service are automatically provided only to the two people in each conversation.

In decrypted form, messages are accessible to a third party, allowing governments to intercept them for law enforcement purposes.

Platforms such as WhatsApp use this to protect personal privacy, so that messages, images and videos are less likely to fall into the wrong hands.

But unlike the free version of WhatsApp, Musk’s company charges users over £100/year to use this feature, which is only part of Twitter Blue.

For businesses, it’s £795 plus additional fees for affiliates.

This morning, Musk tweeted, “Early version of encrypted direct messages just launched. Try it, but don’t trust it yet.’

Twitter’s own feature doesn’t yet protect users from “man-in-the-middle attacks,” meaning malicious insiders can compromise encrypted conversations.

These attacks can go completely unnoticed, with the sender or receiver never knowing that a hack has occurred.

While the tech giant is currently working to fix this, it comes just days after Musk tweeted that “WhatsApp cannot be trusted.”

It was in response to a claim on Twitter that Mark Zuckerberg’s app is listening to users, after one person discovered WhatsApp was accessing their phone’s microphone while they slept.

In response, WhatsApp blamed “a bug on Android,” but it didn’t stop Musk from using the claim as another opportunity to investigate the platform and its rival Zuckerberg.

Malicious Twitter insiders can currently access encrypted conversations on the platform

Malicious Twitter insiders can currently access encrypted conversations on the platform

Man-in-the-middle attacks can happen without the sender or receiver ever knowing

Man-in-the-middle attacks can happen without the sender or receiver ever knowing

Meanwhile, videos and images cannot be sent using Twitter’s encryption tool, which also allows viewing of recipients’ data.

Twitter continued: “An encrypted message can only contain text and links; media and other attachments are not yet supported. When users attempt to send media through an encrypted conversation, this action is not completed.

‘Responses to encrypted messages are also encrypted. Even though messages themselves are encrypted, metadata (recipient, creation time, etc.) are not, nor is the linked content (only the links themselves, not the content they point to, are encrypted).’

The feature’s launch followed Musk’s announcement earlier this week, which revealed that video and voice chat features would be coming to the platform “soon.”

This is part of Musk’s goal of making Twitter an “Everything App,” with a range of other features, such as payments and long tweets.

But the launch of encrypted tweets came at a risky time for the UK, with the government’s online safety law on the horizon.

This legislation is pushing tech giants to take more responsibility to find and remove illegal content on their platforms.

But WhatsApp is one of many organizations that has written an open letter against its intentions.

“As an end-to-end encrypted communications service, we are urging the UK Government to address the risks the Online Safety Act poses to everyone’s privacy and security. It is not too late to ensure that the bill is consistent with the government’s intent to protect end-to-end encryption and respect the human right to privacy.

The billionaire also revealed that video and voice chat features were

The billionaire also revealed that video and voice chat features were “coming soon” on May 10

“Around the world, businesses, individuals and governments face ongoing threats from online fraud, scams and data theft. Malicious actors and hostile states routinely challenge the security of our critical infrastructure.

“End-to-end encryption is one of the strongest possible defenses against these threats, and as vital institutions increasingly rely on internet technologies to conduct core business, the stakes have never been higher.”

How this will affect Twitter’s future is currently uncertain, but Global Cybersecurity Advisor, Jake Moore, believes the UK will never ban encrypted messages.

He told MailOnline yesterday, “As more and more people become privacy conscious online, there is naturally more demand for encrypted direct messaging and Twitter is essentially being forced to add this feature.

“Without the use of encrypted messages, employees and advertisers have the ability to read people’s messages, which while Twitter can make a lot of money, can pose a huge security risk to those involved.

“I don’t think the Online Safety Bill will ever be able to eradicate encrypted messages because of the essential requirement of this feature to protect private communications.

“The OSB can try further, but I don’t see this happening. Many other big tech companies suggest that they would pull out of the UK if such policies were introduced, which would have far greater consequences.’

The coding changes also come amid countless others Musk made during his time at Twitter.

Pictured is an image showing how the two apps compare in terms of recently announced WhatsApp-like Twitter features

Pictured is an image showing how the two apps compare in terms of recently announced WhatsApp-like Twitter features

Just three days ago, Musk announced plans to “clean up” inactive accounts on Twitter, sparking backlash from countless social media users.

Less than a month prior, Twitter’s CEO also removed the old blue ticks from the platform, raising fears of misinformation.

Mr. Moore believes that too many changes can end up driving loyal fans away.

He said: “Twitter’s competitors are already completely engrossed in encrypted messaging and voice and video chat functionality, so this is the next obvious step.

As the numbers go, names like Meta, Snap, and TikTok dominate Twitter, and so in order to recoup some of the losses incurred in purchasing the site, Musk needs to align the platform as a better rival.

However, too many changes can have the opposite effect and drive away more loyal fans, as we’ve seen before. Many other sites similar to Twitter, such as BlueSky and Mastadon, are just waiting on the sidelines for users to migrate over.

“So Musk will have to be careful not to spoil the essence of what made the platform what it is today.”

Timeline of Elon Musk’s eventful time on Twitter to date

October 27: Musk officially becomes the new owner of Twitter, tweeting ‘the bird has been freed’.

November 1st: Musk confirms plans to change the system of ‘Blue Tick’ verification on Twitter, for a reduced subscription fee of $8 per month.

the 4th of November: Musk is firing half of Twitter’s staff as a supposed cost-cutting measure, claiming he had “no choice.”

November 9: Musk launches the “Twitter Blue” subscription service that verifies accounts for a monthly fee.

November 11: The Twitter Blue service has been interrupted because accounts have purchased verification and are using it to impersonate brands and public figures.

November 12: Musk fires 80 percent of Twitter contractors without warning.

November 15: Musk fires employees who posted negatively about him on business messaging app Slack. The lawsuit between Musk and Twitter is dismissed.

November 16: Twitter employees are told to sign a pledge to remain in their position where they would “work long hours at high intensity” or receive three months of severance pay, resulting in a mass exodus.

November 18: A news ticker was projected at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco calling Musk a “space Karen,” “mediocre male child,” and “bankruptcy baby.”

November 23: A Twitter user reported that 5.4 million phone numbers and email addresses were leaked onto the dark web before his account was suspended.

November 26: Financial Times revealed that 50 of the platform’s top 100 advertisers have paused their ads.

November 29: Platform game reported that Twitter is in the process of reinstating about 62,000 banned accounts that each have more than 10,000 followers.

12 December: Twitter Blue has relaunched with the new Blue Tick review process.

January 11: Twitter will begin automatically redirecting users to the “For You” tab — its algorithmic feed of tweets — every time they open the app.

February 8th: Twitter extends character limit to 4,000 for Twitter Blue subscribers in the US. Soon after, the site encountered technical problems.

May 8th: Elon Musk has announced that Twitter is “cleaning” inactive accounts

May 10th: Elon Musk announces the launch of encrypted messages