Twitter to secure Direct Message communications using end-to-end encryption

Long available on rival platforms such as Signal, iMessage, WhatsApp and even Facebook Messenger, encryption technology for instant messaging communications will also be available to Twitter users using the Direct Message option.

Currently, those who use Direct Message to instant message other Twitter users can easily be intercepted if they use insecure networks, such as a hotel’s WiFi.

With undeniable advantages in terms of protecting message exchanges, end-to-end encryption technology comes enabled by default for most messaging platforms, with Facebook Messenger being the only notable exception, where the encryption option must be manually checked for each chat session.

Even though Twitter never had the option for end-to-end encryption to work with Direct Message sessions, there were reports that this feature was being implemented as early as 2018.

Given the chaos created by mass employee layoffs or departures, it seems hard to believe that Twitter will take this step in the very near future, but it would certainly be a major improvement that would boost user confidence in the services of the Elon Musk-led platform. At the same time, end-to-end encryption could be necessary for other newly prepared features for Twitter Blue subscribers.