Just a reminder: Facebook Messenger isn't end-to-end encrypted by default

Mark Zuckerberg really wants you to believe that Facebook is private.

The CEO spoke expansively about the benefits of privacy at this year's F8 developer conference, going so far as to say that, in his mind, "the future is private." There's just one little problem with that sentiment: Your Facebook conversations, by default, aren't protected by end-to-end encryption — and that goes for Facebook Messenger as well.

The platform is without a doubt a juggernaut, with significant influence over the way people communicate. As of earlier this year, according to Facebook, 20 billion messages between people and businesses were sent per month over Facebook Messenger. Many of the people sending those and other messages, no doubt, believe their missives are default protected by end-to-end encryption.

Those people would be wrong.

That's because, despite announcing the ability to optionally enable end-to-end encryption on Messenger back in 2016, you have to go out of your way to turn the feature on. Which means that, unless you do so, Facebook, law enforcement, and hackers all have potential access to the content of your communication.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

Enabling an encrypted "secret" conversation, as Facebook refers to its end-to-end encrypted messages sent over Messenger, is easy — even if not intuitive.

If you have an Android phone, while in the Messenger app, click the speech bubble icon, then the pencil icon, then the toggle icon in the top right, select the person you want to chat with, and then select a timer so the message will eventually disappear (This last part is optional). On an iPhone, hit the speech bubble, then the pencil, then hit "secret," then chose the person, then the timer icon.

Of course, it would be great if Facebook made Messenger end-to-end encrypted by default, but don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Instead, be grateful that the company threw you this privacy breadcrumb.

Oh, and maybe just switch to Signal.