WhatsApp has launched a new feature designed to help users quickly understand long message threads. Called Message Summaries, this tool uses artificial intelligence developed by Meta to create brief overviews of unread conversations. However, the feature will not activate automatically; users must choose to enable it.
How to Use WhatsApp Message Summaries
When users tap the “summarise privately” option at the top of a lengthy chat, Meta’s AI generates a summary consisting of key points about the discussion. This summary also lists participants who have responded in the conversation. For example, the app might highlight plans being discussed and indicate who has replied. Importantly, these summaries are only visible to the user who requests them.
However, privacy remains a significant concern with features involving users’ message data. To address this, WhatsApp provides a detailed technical document explaining how the Message Summaries work while reassuring users that the feature is off by default. The company says it employs Private Processing technology to analyse messages locally without sending the content to Meta’s servers.
The technology involves a temporary environment called a ‘Confidential Virtual Machine’ (CVM) that processes the text and deletes all data afterwards. This technique is intended to prevent any outside access or further use of the message content by Meta or any other party. Also, the Message Summaries feature is now only available in the U.S.
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U.S. House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices
In other related news, the U.S. House of Representatives has banned the use of WhatsApp on government-issued devices for its staff. The decision follows concerns about the app’s security features. According to a memo from the House Chief Administrative Officer, the Office of Cybersecurity classified WhatsApp as high risk due to a lack of transparency in data protection and encryption methods.
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As a result, House staff cannot install WhatsApp on government mobile devices, desktop computers, or access it through web browsers. In response, WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, rejected the security claims. A Meta communications official stated that WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption by default and argued that its security is stronger than many apps on the approved list.
