Meta to integrate WhatsApp and Messenger with third-party chats in EU to comply with DMA

Privacy
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Meta has outlined its plans for integrating WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger with third-party chat services like Telegram or Signal in Europe, in compliance with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA)

https://alternativeto.net/news/2024/9/meta-to-integrate-whatsapp-and-messenger-with-third-party-chats-in-eu-to-comply-with-dma/

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This is for quite some time in talks. Hope it happens in this decade.

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I can’t wait for a Matrix Bridge to be built with this too

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I just hope end to end encryption is decent. Would be lovely to be able to message people on multiple other services using this if the security is decent, though I wonder whether a phone number will be required like with WhatsApp.

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Looks like Matrix posted an official update regarding integration:

Sadly I don’t think they will support open federation, rather a server operator will need to go through the proper channels:

In terms of not allowing open federation: this looks unlikely to change, given Meta needs to know who is responsible for the servers who connect to them, and ensure they agree to the terms of use as required by DMA.

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They also said Meta requires users’ location to ensure only EEA users can access the feature. This poses a financial problem : maintaining a feature for 450m market might not be profitable.

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only if my matrix loaded fast enough.

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This is good news. But if it means that messages I send from Signal to a WhatsApp user can get decrypted in iCloud/Google Drive backups, I’m probably not going to do it.

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But existing matrix bridges already allow that. And you don’t know if other side is using it or not.

I’ve been using Beeper for some time to join platforms I don’t want on my (main) phone, and I’m aware I have to trust (bridge) provider to keep conversations encrypted, though it’s not that I care that much.

But also someone can do the same and use it for Signal, and I would have no idea they are using 3rd party service. Good thing is - if someone’s using Signal, they are probably more aware of privacy issues, and if they are “forced” (friends or family members who started using it for you), they sure won’t bother to setup matrix account, bridge, etc.