Elon Musk launches ‘deeply inferior’ encrypted DMs for Twitter Blue users, service riled with issues
Elon Musk launches ‘deeply inferior’ encrypted DMs for Twitter Blue users, service riled with issues
Twitter has outlined the features and requirements for its initial version of encrypted direct messages or DMs. Notably, in order to send and receive encrypted messages, users will need to pay a fee to Twitter.
This is in contrast to platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal, and iMessage, which already offer free encrypted messaging. The prospect of paying for this feature on Twitter may be met with some resistance.
The new feature comes just a day after Elon Musk made some scathing remarks about WhatsApp. Musk called WhatsApp an app and a platform that cannot be trusted when a Twitter engineer pointed out that the app which was installed on a Pixel device, was behaving in a peculiar manner and was recording audio when the device was not being used.
A new feature for Twitter 2.0
Elon Musk took to Twitter to announce that an “early version of encrypted direct messages has been launched.” However, he also warned users not to trust it completely, indicating that there are certain bugs that need to be ironed out.
Early version of encrypted direct messages just launched.
Try it, but don’t trust it yet.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2023
According to the provided document, encrypted DMs will only be accessible to verified users, those who subscribe to Twitter Blue, verified organizations (which pay a monthly fee of $1,000, or affiliates of verified organizations (at a cost of $50 per person per month.
Both the sender and recipient must be using the latest version of the Twitter app on mobile or the web. Additionally, the recipient of an encrypted DM must follow the sender, have previously exchanged messages with the sender, or accept a DM request from the sender at some point.
If users have the capability to send encrypted messages to someone who can receive them, they will notice a lock toggle while composing their message. In an encrypted conversation, there will also be a small lock icon next to the person’s avatar with whom users are chatting. Encrypted DMs will be kept separate from unencrypted ones.
Some major flaws with the new feature
Encrypted DMs currently have a few limitations and some significant flaws. They can only be sent in one-on-one conversations, although Twitter plans to extend the feature to groups in the near future. Only text and links can be sent in encrypted DMs.
Twitter also cautions that it does not currently provide protection against man-in-the-middle attacks. This means that if an encrypted conversation is compromised by a malicious insider or if Twitter is compelled by legal processes, neither the sender nor the receiver would be aware of it.
Twitter acknowledges this flaw and is working on implementing measures to make man-in-the-middle attacks more challenging and to notify users if such an attack occurs. The company aims to uphold a high level of privacy and security, striving to reach a point where even under extreme circumstances, such as legal pressure, it would be unable to access users’ messages. While they are not there yet, Twitter is actively working towards that goal.
Twitter knows about the issues, but what about the biggest issue?
Twitter acknowledges that while the actual content of messages and reactions within encrypted DMs is encrypted, certain metadata such as the recipient’s information and the creation time of the message are not encrypted. Additionally, any linked content shared within the encrypted DMs is not encrypted, only the links themselves.
Also read: Elon Musk planning to replace ‘unreliable’ WhatsApp with Twitter 2.0
Encrypted DMs appear to be a priority for Elon Musk, as he outlined them as part of his vision for “Twitter 2.0” to employees in November. However, the introduction of paid access to this important feature, which is readily available for free on other platforms, may have an impact on Twitter’s reputation.
The requirement to pay for a feature that is commonly offered for free elsewhere, combined with existing criticisms surrounding the blue checkmark verification system, may further contribute to the existing unpopularity of such features on the platform.
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