Meta Platforms, Inc., known as Meta, recently shared its decision to adhere to the Digital Markets Act, a new regulation from the European Union that became effective on March 7. As part of these regulatory changes, Meta will enable its European users to connect its popular messaging apps, WhatsApp and Messenger, to third-party messaging platforms.
This alteration will provide users with the ability to exchange messages with other messenger applications, granted that these applications support the necessary features. The decision comes after nearly two years of discussions between Meta and the European Commission, primarily focused on interoperability.
For future developments, Meta aims to extend these interoperability features to group chats and calling functions, making this available between WhatsApp, Messenger, and compatible third-party apps.
For third-party developers to connect their apps with Messenger and WhatsApp, they will have to utilise the Signal protocol. This protocol forms the basis of the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) used in both Messenger and WhatsApp, being widely regarded as the leading standard for encrypted communication.
Previously, Meta indicated that engaging with third-party apps would remain an optional feature, citing potential risks from spam and scam activities. However, the current stipulation requires third parties to use the Signal protocol, notwithstanding potential future exceptions. For any other protocol to be authorised by Meta, it must provide security guarantees on par with those of Signal.
Third-party developers seeking to integrate their apps with Meta's messaging services will need to sign an agreement. Meta intends to enable interoperability within three months of receiving a request, although the actual public launch may take additional time.
Meta maintains strict control over its messaging environment within the WhatsApp and Messenger platforms, guaranteeing that only the sender and intended recipients can access messages. Nonetheless, Meta recognises that the security for messages originating from or sent to third-party apps will potentially be less stringent.
Developers who connect their apps to WhatsApp and Messenger are expected to store any media files transferred to Meta's platforms on their own servers. WhatsApp or Messenger would then access the media via a Meta proxy service.
The shift in the operational structure of Messenger and WhatsApp in the European market marks a significant move towards interoperability, offering users more avenues to communicate through different messaging apps.
