Ephemeral messaging is a type of communication that ensures that any content you send is erased within minutes or seconds of consumption. This happens on both devices, plus on the system servers without storing lasting records of the conversation.

This is a security measure to protect your data from unauthorized access.

People use self-destructing messages to communicate privately and anonymously. These messages can be used for whistleblowing, or to communicate about sensitive matters like disciplinary or criminal issues.

You can use text messages to keep people from reading your messages or during emotionally charged moments. ..

There is no guarantee that the message hasn’t been recorded, but you do get close to 100 percent privacy when messaging someone. ..

How Facebook Messenger’s Self-Destructing Messages Work

Facebook has announced a new feature called “Secret Conversations” which allows users to send private messages to one another without fear of being overheard. The messages are encrypted using special algorithms, ensuring that your privacy is protected. ..

The encryption is designed to protect the message so only you and your recipient can view or play it – not even Facebook can access it. You can also add a timer or expiration to the message so it can self-destruct within the time you specified after your recipient sees it.

The secret conversations feature a black padlock next to the contact’s profile icon in your message list. The speech bubbles are blue in color, not the usual blue for ordinary Facebook chats. You can start one in a new chat or an existing one.

If you’re not friends with the person or Facebook doesn’t think you know the contact, your secret message will be sent to their Message Requests or appear like spam under Filtered Messages. The messages won’t be deleted but are kept in the hidden mailbox. ..

Set Up Self-Destructing Messages in Messenger

The secret conversations you have on Messenger are only available in the Messenger app for Android and iOS.

You can only access the conversations on the devices you create them from.

You can add a different device to send the message, but you won’t see previous messages on it. The other person will be notified about it, but only new messages in existing conversations will appear on all devices.

If you’re using an Android device, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app and select the Security option.
  2. Under the “Privacy” section, select “Location Services”.
  3. Toggle off the “Location Services” option and then enable it again.
  4. Open a new chat window by pressing the three lines in the top left corner of your screen and selecting “New Chat Window” from the pop-up menu that appears.
  5. Type in your name and password (if any) and then press enter to create a new chat window.
  6. In the new chat window, type in your phone number and then press enter to start a conversation with someone you want to talk to in secret.

Android

If you want to keep a secret conversation private, make sure you have the latest version of the Facebook Messenger app installed on your phone or tablet. If you don’t see the disappearing conversations option, download the latest version from Google Play Store. ..

Open Messenger is a messaging app that lets you communicate with other people. You can use it to chat with friends, family, and colleagues. You can also use it to send messages and photos.

Tap the pencil icon to start a new note.

Tap the padlock icon to unlock the door.

Select the person you’d like to message. ..

You can set a timer in the text box that appears to expire the message after a certain amount of time has passed. ..

Your secret conversation will be blurred and a message will appear (in red) at the bottom showing the expiration (in seconds)

iOS (iPhone or iPad)

To access chats in the Messenger app, open it and tap on the Chats icon at the bottom. ..

Tap the pencil icon to start a new note.

Hi there! My name is ____ and I’m a journalist. I would love to chat with you about ___.

If you want to set an expiration for the messages, tap the timer icon and set the timer to make the messages disappear.

Your secret conversation will be blurred and a message will appear (in red) at the bottom indicating that the conversation is about to expire. ..

Verifying Secret Conversations on Facebook Messenger

You can verify all encrypted secret conversations by comparing their device keys. Both you and your message recipient will get device keys so you can compare and see if they match.

Open a secret conversation with the contact’s name and tap their phone number.

To ensure your contact’s device key and phone number match, compare your device key with their name.

How to Delete Secret Conversations

Android

Scroll down and tap Secret Conversations to see all of your conversations with people you’ve never met.

Delete all secret conversations.

iOS

To view your profile photo, open Messenger and tap Chats. Then tap your profile photo at the upper left corner. ..

Secret Conversations is a new feature in iOS 11 that allows users to delete all of their secret conversations from their device. ..

How to Delete One Secret Conversation

If you want to delete all conversations on a contact, tap on the contact’s name. The main chat screen will appear. Tap on the name again (just under the words Secret Conversation).

To keep secret conversations private, you can only delete them from your device. Your recipient can still access the conversation if they have the same app installed and have not deleted it. ..

Facebook’s secret conversations are only good for one-to-one conversations, not groups. They can’t be used to send payments either.