X backtracks on encryption? Manual review of DMs sparks concerns
Elon Musk's social media platform, X, is facing scrutiny for manually reviewing certain users' direct messages (DMs). This information was revealed by user Kim Dotcom, who shared a notification about the issue. The company claims this action is part of its efforts to investigate reported violations and comply with laws or governmental requests. The new update goes against the policy of providing end-to-end encryption to every content on the platform.
Take a look X's new policy update announcement
Musk's response to privacy concerns leaves users unsettled
When asked about the policy change, Musk did not provide a clear answer. He stated, "It currently works in a clunky way for one to one messages (if you turn it [encryption] on)." He added that they are working on improving the system and ensuring encryption for group messages. Despite this, he reassured users that "X audio and video calls are automatically encrypted."
User reactions to X's DM review policy
The policy update has sparked concerns among users. One user questioned whether Musk understood the issue, stating, "Is it me or did Elon not understand the question of Kim?" Another user expressed frustration over X's collaboration with governments to review private DMs. These reactions highlight growing privacy concerns on the platform.
X markets its encrypted DMs as 'new way of communicating'
"As Elon Musk said, when it comes to Direct Messages, the standard should be, if someone puts a gun to our heads, we still can't access your messages. We're not quite there yet, but we're working on it," reads X's Help Center page about encrypted direct messages. For now, the company has released encrypted DMs as a "new way of communicating on X that will appear as separate conversations, alongside your existing Direct Messages in your inbox."
How X's encrypted DMs work
X's apps (iOS, Android, Web) use private-public key pairs to secure user communications. The public key is registered when logging in on a new device, while the private key never leaves the device. Each conversation also has a unique encryption key exchanged securely between devices. X claims it employs strong cryptography to encrypt all messages, links, and reactions before storage on their infrastructure. Once messages are received by the recipient devices, they are decrypted, according to X.
Are X's encrypted DMs available for all users? No
To send and receive encrypted messages on X, users must meet specific conditions. Both sender and recipient must be on the latest X apps (iOS, Android, Web). Both must be verified users or affiliates of a verified organization. Additionally, the recipient must follow the sender, have sent a message to the sender previously, or have accepted a Direct Message request from the sender. At present, group conversations do not support encrypted messaging.
