Ahead of the European Union’s DMA deadline, a leaked interface of WhatsApp’s ‘Third-Party Chat’ has surfaced.
Ahead of the European Union’s DMA deadline, a leaked interface of WhatsApp’s ‘Third-Party Chat’ has surfaced.
A leaked image has emerged revealing the potential appearance of WhatsApp’s upcoming feature to support third-party messages on its end-to-end encrypted platform. The leaked image indicates that this feature may initially roll out in Europe. Notably, the Meta-owned platform is mandated to introduce cross-platform messaging support in compliance with the European Union’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which becomes effective on March 6. It is anticipated that WhatsApp will implement this feature prior to the deadline.
The leaked screenshot was disclosed in a report by WABetaInfo, unveiling that the forthcoming WhatsApp build version 2.24.5.18 will introduce a chat interoperability feature, also referred to as third-party chats. This feature will enable users to send messages to contacts on Signal, Telegram, or other messaging platforms directly from WhatsApp, eliminating the requirement to install those apps separately. It is reported that this feature aims to facilitate smoother and more convenient communication between users by removing platform-specific barriers.
The leaked image reveals a header labeled “Third-party chats.”
The leaked image reveals a header labeled “Third-party chats.” The screen seems to be an opt-in interface, featuring a button at the bottom to activate the feature. In the middle of the page, there are several warnings. The first caution mentions, “You’re communicating with someone outside of WhatsApp. Third-party apps may utilize different end-to-end encryption.” Another warning cautions about the possibility of encountering spam and scams more frequently with third-party chats. The last warning states, “Third-party apps have their own policies and may handle your data differently than WhatsApp does.” The final statement clarifies that this feature is being introduced to users in the European region as mandated by law.
According to a report, WhatsApp Engineering Director Dick Brouwer confirmed the development of the feature, affirming that the company is actively working on its implementation. He elaborated that these chats would be segregated and displayed separately within the app, as they will not be protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption (E2EE) protocol. Moreover, Brouwer mentioned that WhatsApp has commenced the documentation process for its client-server protocol. This initiative aims to provide a framework for other chat services to establish a direct connection between their clients and WhatsApp’s servers. Ultimately, this documentation will facilitate seamless cross-platform messaging for users, enabling them to communicate across different messaging platforms with ease and convenience.
If third-party platforms decline to adhere to the process, they will need to verify that their encryption protocol matches WhatsApp’s security standards. The report highlighted that several well-known platforms did not confirm whether they were working with the Meta-owned platform to facilitate chat interoperability. This lack of confirmation raises questions about the potential collaboration between WhatsApp and other messaging services to enable seamless communication across platforms. It remains to be seen how this requirement for encryption alignment will impact the integration of third-party chat services with WhatsApp and ensure user privacy and security.
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