Meta has announced a feature called “Third Party Chats” for WhatsApp users in the European Union (EU) as part of its compliance with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) interoperability requirements. This requires Meta to allow WhatsApp users in Europe to connect with people using third-party messaging services whose apps are compatible.
WhatsApp will roll out third-party chats in Europe in the coming months, allowing WhatsApp users to chat directly with users of messaging apps Burdette and Hackett. Meta said its partnership with the two services “is the result of more than three years of work with European Messaging Services and the European Commission to create a third-party chats solution that meets DMA requirements, while preserving privacy and security for as many users as possible.”
Meta said it follows three basic principles:
- Protecting User Security and Privacy: According to DMA requirements, third-party messaging apps must use the same level of E2EE as WhatsApp.
- Clear and simple experience: We have provided users with an easy on-boarding experience, while ensuring that they understand the key differences between chats on WhatsApp and third-party chats.
- Available for European users: According to DMA requirements, third-party chats will be available to people in the European region.
The third-party chats feature will be available for Android and iOS users, and once it launches in the European region, users will see a notification in the Settings tab on WhatsApp explaining how to connect with others on third-party apps.
Once a WhatsApp user is selected, they can share text, voice messages, images, videos, and files through third-party chats. Note that connecting to people on other messaging apps is optional, and the third-party chats feature can be turned on or off by WhatsApp users at any time.
Additionally, Metta has stated that they have “promoted third-party interoperability by maintaining end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and other privacy guarantees in our services to the extent possible.”
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