Google finds itself in hot water, especially after it announced that all the text messages sent through Google Messages are now secured through end-to-end encryption. It was below the radar of the consumers and scholars because some people said there were problems in the encryption of the company's data while others complained of violation of their data.

What Does It Mean to Have End-to-End Encryption?

O2O secures the communication such that not even the provider of the message delivery service has the right to read its content. Google has been touting this new feature as a foundation of Google Messages, so it tries to become a leader in the sphere of secure communication.

The Problem

Google does provide consumers end-to-end encryption for talks through the RCS (Rich Communication Services); however, the statement that ‘all texts’ are encrypted is misleading, or so the critics say. Messages, which are sent using Google Messages and are categorised as normal SMS and MMS, have no form of encryption; they are not safe from being intercepted.

Privacy researchers have termed this a ‘misleading and deceptive strategy,’ stating that Google has made much of its security enhancement capabilities but has not provided adequate disclaimers regarding the same.

User Concerns

Unlike the previous message types, many users feel cheated since they assume their messages are private within Google Messages. This has also been followed by the campaign on social media where people are turning against the company, asking whether Apple is helping its users to come out with the truth. ?

Google’s Response

Google has not apologised for the incident formally, but in response to the discussion, Google emphasised that end-to-end encryption is only available to RCS chats. The company has assured its followers that better communication will prevent such situations in the future.

Takeaway

This event underlines the necessity of an open explanation of privacy aspects by the representatives of the technology industry. Where encryption is a growing issue, loyalty is seen to call for honesty and responsibility from the service providers.