In a recent tweet, Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of end-to-end encryption for Twitter DMs. Such encryption protects messages from being snooped on or hacked by the platform. The idea is also consistent with the company’s recent pledges to change content moderation policies and promote free speech. Musk, who has been vocal about his privacy concerns, also enjoys making satirical tweets about Twitter employees.
Twitter DMs should have end to end encryption like Signal, so no one can spy on or hack your messages
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2022
However, the lack of end-to-end encryption in Twitter DMs has been a source of controversy, particularly as the privacy of messages is increasingly at stake. In 2017, after a privacy scandal involving WhatsApp, Musk tweeted “Use Signal!” which prompted a massive increase in Signal users. Clearly, the technology is in need of an update, but what will the company do to implement it?
Elon Musk’s recent remarks about the company’s future plans for Twitter have left users scratching their heads. While he wants to get rid of spam bots and introduce an edit button, it’s unclear how long this will take.
But one thing is clear: Musk’s goal is to ensure that free speech is protected. Unless he encrypts all of your Twitter messages, they’re not secure.
Tesla founder Elon Musk has long advocated implementing end-to-end encryption for Twitter’s DMs and wants to make it easier for users to edit their tweets.
In a Twitter poll that he conducted before he bought Twitter, Musk said he wanted an edit button. Signal is an open-source messaging app that uses the Signal protocol, which is the basis for WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
The security of end-to-end encryption for Twitter DMs has been a hot topic since hackers took over high-profile accounts and used as an internal tool to read messages. This vulnerability was not present in competing platforms.
While many messaging services have implemented end-to-end encryption, Twitter has been slow to implement the technology. Moreover, the company’s massive reach and its huge user base make end-to-end encryption for Twitter DMs a difficult challenge.