Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), the social media giant, stated that it had started rolling out end-to-end encryption for all personal chats and calls on Messenger and Facebook. The end-to-end encryption will offer additional functionality, “including the ability to edit messages, higher media quality, and disappearing messages.”
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The company added that this feature will be available immediately, but some Messenger accounts may take time to be updated. Since 2016, Meta’s Messenger has offered the option to turn on end-to-end encryption, allowing a message to be read only by the sender and its recipients. However, with this change, it will now be the default setting.
Meta’s end-to-end encryption has been a contentious issue as the British government had urged Meta earlier this year not to implement it on Facebook Messenger and Instagram without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse.
Meanwhile, the company is being sued by New Mexico, as an undercover online investigation indicated that Facebook and Instagram “are not safe spaces for children but rather prime locations for predators to trade child pornography and solicit minors for sex.”
What is the Stock Price Prediction for Meta Platforms?
Analysts remain bullish about META stock with a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 37 Buys and one Hold. Year-to-date, META stock has surged by more than 100%, and the average META price target of $387.71 implies an upside potential of 22.1% at current levels.
