Facebook would be putting together a team dedicated to studying the analysis of encrypted data, but without the need to decrypt it previously. The social network would entrust this task to artificial intelligence researchers, among whom would be a recent addition who previously worked for Microsoft, according to The Information. What would be the purpose of this initiative? Develop technology to apply it in the future in your advertising model.
Specialists would be in charge of addressing this possibility within the homomorphic encryption research area. Thus, Facebook would join other companies that already have research teams dedicated to this topic. Such is the case with Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
According to the report, the investigation could allow Facebook target ads based on the content of encrypted messages sent by WhatsApp, without compromising the privacy of the users. Another option would be to encrypt the data of your billions of accounts, without negatively affecting your personalized ad positioning business.
Facebook’s track record regarding the privacy of its users’ data is fraught with controversy and contradictions. So this new research doesn’t inspire much confidence either. Although from the social network itself they would have told The Information It is still “too early” to think about the application of homomorphic encryption on platforms such as WhatsApp, the company intends to nourish itself with the necessary technology to present new monetization options.
Is the idea of personalized ads on WhatsApp refloating?
If the information is accurate, the Facebook investigation could directly impact WhatsApp users in the future. Remember that the idea of displaying ads on the popular messaging platform is not new. However, the social network put the idea in the freezer in early 2020.
It is clear that this possibility was never completely ruled out, but has been put on hold looking for the “ideal balance” between privacy and publicity. As WhatsApp currently offers end-to-end encryption, the company would need to find a way to work on the content of the messages without decrypting them midway. Facebook has already been at the mercy of regulators in the past, and it would not be willing to repeat that situation.
Personalized ads are one of Facebook’s main sources of income. This has been recently ratified with the financial results of the second quarter of 2021. But with the growing concern related to the manipulation of the public’s personal data, more and more companies are taking measures to prevent their users’ data from being taken advantage of. by platforms like Mark Zuckerberg’s.
Will Facebook be able to balance the multi-billion dollar business of personalized ads with encryption and protecting user data? Today it seems to be an initiative that leaves more uncertainty than firm answers.