[ArnoldP]

I think the more likely scenario is they know the value of the conversations they datamine, but don't want to lose customers to these other message apps that tout their encryption. So they do the bare minimum to support encryption while still having access to most data.

[evgen]

Over here in the real world, Facebook does not need to worry about "[losing] customers to these other message apps that tout their encryption" because the latter are not even in the game. There are only a few messaging apps that matter, because the value of the app is in its network and who it can connect you to rather than some feature checklist for the HN crowd.

Dropping secure E2E encryption into an app that is deployed on hundreds of millions of phones across the globe is a game changer. Period. Once you climb down from your lofty ivory tower and consider the impact this will have globally then perhaps you you will be a bit less dismissive of the goals and efforts of the team that convinced a company that lives on data to delierately blind itself to some for the sake of their users privacy and security.

[ArnoldP]

If barely anyone uses it then how is it a game changer? Please update us in a few months with usage statistics.

[dymk]

I can't tell if you've deliberately misinterpreted evgen's comment or not. But this feature is being deployed to hundreds of millions of phones. Even if only 1% of people use this, that's millions more people using E2E secured communication. Hardly "barely anyone".

[alva]

This does seem a likely scenario. Unfortunately all the stories of over the last few years have severely eroded the benefit of doubt that I give these companies, which is a great shame. I imagine others due to this, approach similar moves with great suspicious.