According to the messaging service owned by the American Meta (Facebook, Instagram), the "channels" are "one-way" . Like Telegram, channel administrators can publish announcements and broadcast content, but subscribers cannot respond. It will be possible to subscribe, for example, to channels of structures (non-governmental organizations, media, sports teams) or influencers, the channels being listed in a directory.
This feature will initially be tested in Colombia and Singapore, before being overseas chinese in australia data rolled out to other countries. Users will be able to find the channels that interest them in a separate tab, called "News", separate from discussions with their contacts or groups. Among the first partners, the company has announced the World Health Organization, the International Rescue Committee and, on the sports side, FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
Privacy preferred over encryption
WhatsApp clarifies that, in terms of security, "admin phone numbers and profile pictures will not be shown to followers ," while subscribers' numbers will also remain private. There is no mention of the privacy of followers' profile pictures.
Regarding the history of broadcast content, the company assures that it will only be " kept on the servers for thirty days ." Administrators will have the option to let their channel appear in the search directory, but in order to "reach a wide audience, [channels] are not end-to-end encrypted by default ," unlike private conversations.
Meta is, however, considering offering to encrypt channels in certain cases, for non-profit or health associations for example. This type of encryption ensures that messages can only be read by the correspondents of the discussion channel. To the great displeasure of certain countries, which oppose the need to have access to this data in the context of the fight against pedocriminality or terrorism, for example. The company does not currently make any mention of the possibility of blocking the dissemination of "fake news".
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