Zuckerberg highlighted that screenshots—especially of disappearing or encrypted messages—can violate the trust and privacy of the conversation.
In a recent post, he reminded users that Messenger’s disappearing messages feature is built for confidential, short-lived conversations, and taking a screenshot of these chats defeats the purpose.
Messenger Will Now Alert Users of Screenshots
As part of an ongoing update, Facebook Messenger will now notify users if someone takes a screenshot in a chat using the disappearing messages setting, similar to Snapchat. This feature is meant to protect users from having their private messages saved or shared without their knowledge.
“We want Messenger to feel like a safe space for conversations,” Zuckerberg said. “If you take a screenshot of a disappearing message, the other person deserves to know.”
Privacy Push Across Meta Platforms
This move is part of a broader effort by Meta (formerly Facebook) to bring end-to-end encryption and stronger privacy controls to Messenger and other apps like Instagram and WhatsApp. The company is aiming to match growing user demand for more secure, private communication.
Mixed Reactions From Users
While some users welcomed the added protection, others criticized the change as too little, too late. Some argue that warning notifications aren’t enough to stop bad actors from capturing private messages.
Still, privacy advocates say the move is a step in the right direction.
“It’s about transparency,” said one digital security expert. “People have a right to know when their personal messages are being recorded.”
As online communication becomes more central to daily life, Zuckerberg’s warning is a reminder: just because a message disappears doesn’t mean it’s gone for good—especially if someone takes a screenshot.
