A secret conversation in Messenger is encrypted end to end, which means the messages are intended just for you and the other person – not anyone else, including us. Bear in mind that the person you're messaging could choose to share the conversation with others (e.g. in a screenshot).
Despite Facebook being run by a company not known for its data security, Messenger's "secret conversation" feature makes it safe to chat with friends and colleagues. Secret conversations are protected with end-to-end encryption, meaning that no one outside the chat – not even Facebook – can read what's in the chat.
A padlock icon is displayed next to the person's profile picture to tell you if a conversation is 'Secret'. You are still – like a normal Facebook message conversation – able to block and report users.
A filled-in blue circle next to your message means that your message was delivered. And, when a friend has read your message, a small version of your friend's photo will appear next to your message. Mary Straub and 20,053 others like this.
To find out if someone has blocked you on Messenger, you should first send them a message. If your message is not delivered, even after the recipient has been online, you're most likely blocked. To tell if your message isn't delivered, it will have an empty circle with a check mark for an icon.
Hiding someone is not the same as blocking them. People you hide will not be notified and you will still be able to search for and chat with them. To unhide someone, visit Hidden contacts in your Messenger privacy settings. Note: For the best experience hiding contacts, update your Messenger app to the latest version.
You could, for example, write “Anonymous” or “Secret” as the sender. It does not matter if you've been blocked on Facebook Messenger or anywhere else.
Secret conversations are currently only available in the Messenger app on iOS and Android, so they won't appear on Facebook chat or messenger.com.
You'll get a notification on Instagram if someone sends you a message in vanish mode. Tap on the notification to enter a chat with them in vanish mode. You'll also be notified if they send you a new message outside of vanish mode. You won't be able to copy, save or forward disappearing messages.
You can recover deleted messages from Facebook Messenger by downloading them or checking old email notifications. You can also recover them by looking in the cache of the Messenger app, if you use Android. You can also check your archived messages or ask the person you were messaging with for a copy.
Follow a few steps to view deleted secret conversations in Messenger: Access the device of the person whose conversations you want to read and open Facebook Messenger. Find and select Recent conversations. Use the search tool to find the conversation archived earlier.
End-to-end encryption means that only the sender and recipient can read the messages, and even Facebook cannot access them. Secret conversations can only be accessed on the device they were initiated from, and they are not visible on any other device that you use to access Messenger.
According to our privacy experts, Signal is probably the most secure messaging app. Its open-source encryption protocol has become the industry standard for end-to-end message and voice encryption. And Signal is funded by donations and grants, so it isn't incentivized to monetize data.
According to Telegram, secret chats are meant for people who want more secrecy than the average person. All messages in secret chats use end-to-end encryption which means only you and the recipient can read those messages. On top of this, Messages cannot be forwarded to anyone by the recipient from secret chats.
In secret chats, text messages, pictures, videos, and all other files are sent using end-to-end encryption. That means only you and the recipient have the decryption key, so Telegram cannot access the data.
If you see a green dot next to the person's profile picture, this means they are currently active or have been active recently. If they aren't online, you'll see "Active (minutes) ago". Friends must have their Active Status turned on for this to be visible.
A green dot on Facebook means a person has Facebook or Messenger open on their device. You can turn off your green dot from your phone in "Messenger > Menu > Settings > Active Status."