Messenger
WhatsApp adds new security feature to protect against scams
WhatsApp is introducing a new security feature that will help users spot potential scams when they are being added to a group chat by someone not in their contact list. This feature displays a “safety overview” context card that includes information about the group’s creation date, the number of members, potential scam attempts, and instructions […]
Microsoft is killing Skype today, pushes users to Teams
The Skype video call and messaging service is shutting down today, 14 years after replacing Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger. Skype was first released in August 2003 by a collective of Swedish, Danish, and Estonian developers and was sold to eBay two years later, in September 2005, which bought it for $2.6 billion. Microsoft acquired the telecommunications […]
Microsoft confirms it’s killing off Skype in May, after 14 years
Microsoft has confirmed that the Skype video call and messaging service will be shut down in May, 14 years after replacing the Windows Live Messenger. A reader contacted GeekFeed, and shared that according to strings found in preview versions of Skype for Windows, the company will ask users to switch to Teams Free, with all their […]
Signal will let you sync old messages when linking new devices
Signal is finally adding a new feature that allows users to synchronize their old message history from their primary iOS or Android devices to newly linked devices like desktops and iPads. The transfer process is fully end-to-end encrypted, ensuring privacy and data security. It will employ a QR code verification step to ensure the action […]
Russia blocks Viber in latest attempt to censor communications
Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor has blocked the Viber encrypted messaging app, used by hundreds of millions worldwide, for violating the country’s legislation. “Access to the Viber service is restricted due to the violation of the requirements of Russian legislation for organizers of information dissemination,” Russia’s internet regulator said in a press statement. “Compliance with the […]
Signal introduces convenient “call links” for private group chats
The Signal messenger application has announced a set of new features aimed at making private group chats more convenient and easier for people to join. The highlight feature announced is “call links,” which allow users to create and share links with other Signal users without needing to create a group chat. The links can be […]
WhatsApp now encrypts contact databases for privacy-preserving synching
The WhatsApp messenger platform has introduced Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS), a new privacy-preserving encrypted storage system designed for contact management. The new system solves two long-standing problems WhatsApp users have been dealing with for years, namely the risk of losing their contact lists if they lose their phone and the inability to sync contacts between different […]
