In the News
The age-old message that things put online stay there permanently might be a bit outdated. In Telegram adds ‘delete everywhere’ nuclear option to private chats — killing chat history, Natasha Lomas at TechCrunch discusses the ability for users to delete messages that they either sent or received in a direct message on Telegram. Lomas explains that this new option is available on the latest version 5.5 of Telegram along with additional privacy measures. Lomas identifies that the ability to delete messages that someone else sent without their consent may be problematic for some.
Our Take
Society has struggled with the inability to delete or take back what you said through text or messaging apps for years. The general guideline has always been to think about what you send or share before hitting send to avoid the potential of those messages coming back to haunt you. We have all seen old tweets or messages of celebrities and politicians from a decade ago coming back to haunt them. Could Telegram’s new delete feature resolve this issue? While this feature may seem like a blessing, others can see it as a curse. If the receiver of a message can delete what you sent and what they said, where is the accountability factor? To use this feature safely and respectfully, make sure that you inform the sender that you are deleting their message before you do so.
Recommendations
How can you maintain privacy and consent on messaging apps?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Refrain from sharing highly sensitive information through messaging apps or over the phone
- Save copies of important conservations on an external hard drive or other storage method