The Digital Markets Act (DMA) has imposed new regulations on Meta, the parent company of popular messaging platforms Messenger and WhatsApp. According to the DMA, Meta must enable interoperability with other services within three months of receiving a request. However, the process of turning on interoperability for public use may take longer than the mandated three months.
Initially, the regulation will only require support for one-on-one chats and sharing files in Messenger and WhatsApp. Support for group chats and calls will be added in the future as part of the new regulations. Third-party providers interested in interoperating with Messenger and WhatsApp will need to sign an agreement with Meta.
Meta has requested that providers use WhatsApp’s Signal protocol for encryption, but they will accept other protocols that meet their strict security standards. This move towards interoperability aims to increase competition and choice for users while maintaining data security and privacy standards.
These new regulations are part of a larger effort to address concerns about the dominance of tech giants in the digital market. By requiring Meta to open up their messaging platforms to interoperability, the DMA is promoting innovation and fair competition in the digital space. Stay tuned for updates on when these changes will be implemented and how they will impact users of Messenger and WhatsApp.
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