While the early noise suggests Mark Zuckerberg wants to do this to rebuild reputation and create a more secure environment, there are a some concerns. For example, by unifying three major services (that until now have operated independently) could make user profiling easier. Apparently all messages will be encrypted, but Facebook could monitor which contacts you spend the most time with and follow Instagram viewing to target ads across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Pranesh Prakash, a Fellow at the Center for Internet and Society and part of the New America think tank, says regulators should force Facebook to use open source solutions. Prakesh voiced the opinion following some calls for the company to be broken up as it is clearly close to creating a messaging monopoly. Whether that’s true or not, Prakesh points out Facebook currently uses in-house technology and does not mix with many third parties. He says users can become easily trapped in Facebook’s ecosystem and won’t explore alternatives because all contacts are on Facebook services.
Unifying
The New York Times reports Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to merge all of the company’s messaging services. That means WhatsApp and Messenger will be integrated, and you can throw Instagram into the mix too. Zuckerberg is attempting to repair Facebook’s damaged reputation following a 2018 filled with scandal. The under-fire founder of the company believes creating a unified technology will help. Not least because WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram can all now have end-to-end encryption.
