In a significant breakthrough for messaging users in Europe, the new Digital Markets Act regulation (DMA) forces tech giants to be more open. Among these, Meta, owner of WhatsApp, is called for a regulatory update that will and will not change poco the use of the famous messaging app. Specifically we talk about third party chat coming soon to the instant messaging platform.
WhatsApp changes the rules: here's how we will use other third-party chats
The Digital Market Act (DMA) marks a point of no return for the technology sector in Europe, imposing an obligation on giants like Meta to interoperability for their services. This European legislative initiative aims to dismantle the "digital walls" erected by so-called gatekeepers, such as Meta, Google and Apple, guaranteeing users greater freedom and flexibility in the use of digital platforms.
Meta recently announced how it intends to comply with DMA requirements regarding WhatsApp and third-party chats. The law requires that within three months of coming into force, Meta renders WhatsApp compatible with other messaging services managed by third parties. This step brings users closer to a world in which they will be able to communicate via WhatsApp even through unofficial platforms, thus expanding the possibilities of choice and use.
Meta, however, raised questions about the complexity and time required to fully implement this openness, especially regarding technical and security aspects. Initially, interoperability will focus on core functionality of WhatsApp, such as individual messaging and the sharing of multimedia content, with the intention of subsequently extending it to group chat e video calls within a year.
One of the most delicate aspects of this transition is security. Meta underlined the importance of maintaining high safety standards, in particular the WhatsApp end-to-end encryption, which guarantees that only the sender and recipient can access the contents of communications. For this, it will be necessary to establish specific agreements with third-party service providers, which will have to adhere to the strict security protocols currently in use on WhatsApp.
