Facebook Is *Finally* Introducing Secret Messaging But There's One Big Hitch

The New York Times reports that on Friday, Facebook started rolling out a beta version of a new feature they're calling "secret conversations." Basically, it's end-to-end encrypted messages that, in theory, don't allow anyone — not even Facebook — to intercept them. It's Facebook's attempt to compete with other messaging apps like WhatsApp, which provides a very high mode of security and is attractive to global audiences.

"The fact that we have 1.65 billion people on Facebook already makes Messenger the best live, self-updating address book in the world," said David Marcus, head of Messaging Products. "Because of the scale of our network, I feel like we really have a shot at this."

In a post on his Facebook page, Marcus writes that "providing more ways for people to safely share is an important part of making the world more open and connected."

He added that the "secret conversations" would be great for sending "sensitive account information to your spouse, or even your Social Security Number."

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At first, the feature will only be available to a small percentage of users for testing, but everyone else should get it in the late summer or early fall. Of course, there's a catch: users will have to "opt-in" to the service, meaning for most people, Facebook will still be able to rifle through your info and deliver those creepy personalized ads. So, uh, keep an eye out for the update!