Meta unveils 'Incognito Chat' with end-to-end encryption for Meta AI
The upcoming rollout to WhatsApp and the Meta AI app uses 'Private Processing' technology, drawing a sharp line between Meta’s privacy stance and the temporary data storage practices of rivals like Google and OpenAI.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the launch of 'Incognito Chat', a new feature for Meta AI that utilises end-to-end encryption and 'Private Processing' technology to ensure conversations are not logged or stored on Meta servers. The company states that this marks the first major AI product where no log of user conversations is retained on servers, with messages disappearing once users exit the chat session.
Meta differentiates its offering from competitors by asserting that while other applications have introduced incognito-style modes, they often retain visibility of incoming questions and outgoing answers. Zuckerberg described the new feature as "truly private," claiming that no party, including Meta itself, can access or read these conversations. The underlying technology mirrors the 'Private Processing' system launched last year for WhatsApp.
The announcement highlights a significant divergence in data retention strategies across the artificial intelligence sector. Google retains temporary chat data from Gemini for up to 72 hours, while temporary chats in ChatGPT can be stored for up to 30 days. Similarly, incognito chats in Claude are kept for a minimum of 30 days. Representatives for Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding these retention policies.
This launch follows a period of mixed privacy developments for Meta, which recently removed end-to-end encryption from Instagram direct messages. However, the company has also introduced privacy-focused tools such as Instagram Instants, which features private archives and undo functions. The new Incognito Chat is scheduled to roll out over the coming months to both the Meta AI app and WhatsApp.
The context of data retention has become increasingly scrutinised due to legal challenges facing competitors. Logs from ChatGPT are central to recent lawsuits regarding mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, and at Florida State University, with a New York Times lawsuit including a court order to store conversations indefinitely. Additionally, Google is facing litigation from the family of a man who allegedly followed instructions from Gemini leading to his death.
