Texting on chatting apps have evolved from the simple interface of people texting one another into the inclusion of encryption to weed off prying eyes from the conversation. Some even go a step further by introducing end to end encryption and message destruction so that traces of the conversation cannot be snooped or traced after it dies.
It seems now Twitter wants to join in the game, thanks to a report by TechCrunch. Apparently buried inside the Twitter for Android app, there is a Secret conversation option which would allow people send encrypted direct messages. Currently, you send regular text messages privately to one another, but this new mode is on another level.
This feature was spotted by one Jane Manchun Wong and she shared the above screenshot on Twitter. In this instance, she was DMing herself and under Conversation Info, you can see there is a ‘Start a secret text message’ feature underneath it. When you create one, it displays in black that the secret is conversation at the top and the text box message says “send an encrypted message.” You can even see the encryption keys by tapping on the secret message menu where you can see yours and the recipients, confirming the end to end encryption.
Interesting enough, Twitter’s CEO jokingly saw this news and decided to share the “Shhh” emoji about the feature, thereby confirming it they are indeed working on it.
— jack (@jack) May 8, 2018
This feature could be useful for those people willing to send sensitive information via Twitter but are forced to use the likes of Signal to do it. This feature also comes after Edward Snowden, the well known leaker, asked Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey, whether they could introduce this feature. Seems like they listened.
reasonable and something we’ll think about
— jack (@jack) December 14, 2016
