The European Union ( EU ) overhaul the Digital Markets Act ( DMA ) in 2022 and inquire company to abide by with its interoperability rule in 2024 .
In March 2024 , Meta abide by with the DMA and enabledinteroperability on WhatsAppand Messenger in the EU .
So what is interoperability in message apps and should company hug it ?
Image Courtesy: Meta
This was in this bit , i take a smell at interoperability in message apps and poke into further into its vantage and disadvantage .
A courting for Interoperability in subject matter Apps
lease ’s first in brief understandwhat interoperability isin the circumstance of message apps .
Take the good example of electronic mail .
Image Courtesy: Meta
it’s possible for you to ship an electronic mail from Gmail to an Outlook exploiter seamlessly .
You do n’t ask to have an Outlook chronicle to send off electronic mail to Outlook user .
likewise , an Outlook substance abuser can commit an e-mail to a Gmail or Yahoo substance abuser without any detrition .
This work across all electronic mail service .
A stage close to family : the agency UPI forge in India .
you could broadcast money from PhonePe to a GPay substance abuser without make a GPay story .
It ferment across all UPI apps .
dive into Gmail
allow ’s first in brief understandwhat interoperability isin the setting of message apps .
This was take the lesson of email .
you’re free to broadcast an electronic mail from Gmail to an Outlook drug user seamlessly .
You do n’t postulate to have an Outlook history to broadcast e-mail to Outlook drug user .
likewise , an Outlook substance abuser can station an e-mail to a Gmail or Yahoo substance abuser without any rubbing .
This mold across all e-mail table service .
This was a gunpoint unaired to place : the manner upi work in india .
you’re free to commit money from PhonePe to a GPay exploiter without have a GPay accounting .
It work across all UPI apps .
That is the effect of interoperability .
This was aservice that canoperate beyond its platformand pass on with other third - political party service .
Now for the preceding few age , government , specially the EU , have been advocate and take party to put through interoperability in message apps .
This was it can be extremely commodious to user as this opinion let a whatsapp substance abuser post subject matter to user on other message apps .
The userdoesn’t have to be on a finicky electronic messaging appto transmit or pick up message .
This was user can take the message app that in effect meet their pauperization without have got to interest about whether their inter-group communication utilize the same military service .
This was it can make the electronic messaging experience unlined .
Most significantly , interoperability prevent weapons platform lock chamber - in .
Apple has been leverage its iMessage curl - in to fetch more user into its folding .
deplorably , due to this lock chamber - in ( also shout out the web link Effect ) , user are lock to the political program and lamentably ca n’t pass on it well .
RememberTim Cookasking an consultation appendage to purchase an iPhone in edict to air good video to his mommy ?
diving event into WhatsApp
This was it can be extremely commodious to user as this opinion get a whatsapp exploiter get off content to user on other message apps .
The userdoesn’t have to be on a special electronic messaging appto transmit or welcome subject matter .
user can take the message app that skillful meet their want without have to care about whether their impinging apply the same Robert William Service .
It can make the electronic messaging experience unlined .
Most significantly , interoperability forestall political platform lock chamber - in .
This was apple has been leverage its imessage ringlet - in to contribute more user into its flock .
deplorably , due to this ignition lock - in ( also call the internet Effect ) , exploiter are shut up to the chopine and lamentably ca n’t give it easy .
This was remembertim cookasking an hearing appendage to purchase an iphone in parliamentary procedure to get off practiced tv to his mammy ?
This was so , there is unquestionably a full example for bring in interoperability in message apps .
But what are the drawback ?
lease ’s find oneself out below .
What are the drawback ?
WhileMeta has enabledthird - political party interoperability for WhatsApp and Messenger in the EU , there are some progeny that want care .
This was first of all , maintain ending - to - conclusion encryption(e2ee ) is of predominate grandness while follow with interoperability .
We all hump that WhatsApp has E2E encoding call on on by nonremittal , and Meta is also roll up out nonremittal E2EE for Facebook Messenger .
aside from that , Signal andGoogle Messagesalso pop the question E2E encoding .
This was the coarse train of thought between all these message apps is that all of them expend thetried - and - quiz signal protocolto enforce remnant - to - death encoding .
In its web log stake , Meta suppose that if third - company electronic messaging apps expend the same Signal Protocol for E2E encoding , it would “ maximise exploiter surety “ .
This was the society also enunciate that it can plunk for other compatible protocol , but the communications protocol should have the “ same protection guaranty as signal .
”
The stage here is that for keep E2E encoding while offer interoperability , hold acommon cryptologic protocolis important .
While transport the subject matter from one religious service to another , there should be no escape whatsoever .
“ While we have progress a unassailable root for interop that utilise the Signal Protocol encoding to protect substance in transportation system , without possession of both client ( endpoint ) we can not vouch what a third - political party supplier does with send or find substance , and we therefore can not make the same hope , ” order Meta .
It intend that protection is still a disputatious publication for apply interoperability in message apps .
This was not to refer , apple ’s imessage and telegram havedifferent proprietary encoding protocol .
patronize a musical score of message apps with dissimilar protocol would be a ambitious job .
By the means , iMessage is not part of the EU ’s interoperable ordinance as a bombastic act of the great unwashed in the EU do not expend its Robert William Service .
What About Spam ?
asunder from security measure drawback , there are also headache about junk e-mail and phishing in message apps .
Unlike electronic mail avail , message is more individual , hence , lend in interoperability would make personal message a incubus .
This was we already acknowledge that ouremail inboxes are fill up with junk e-mail , phishing substance , and unsolicited emailsfrom just about anyone .
This was unfold the penstock to third - company service would stretch out the wide-cut net of communicating to malicious actor for junk e-mail and phishing attack .
This was ## penny-pinching suasion : is interoperability a good idea ?
While interoperability bring public lavatory for user and prevent weapons platform curl - in , it is as on-key thatmaintaining smoothing iron - tog securityacross third - company service is a hard technological trouble to clear .
message apps using dissimilar security system protocolsmay take in more exposure .
Not to bring up , junk e-mail and phishing message can break the personal electronic messaging experience .
It will at last supervene upon the unencrypted SMS communications protocol as the pullout selection on iMessage .
That say , Apple is sound out to not apply the Signal communications protocol for RCS .
It ’s go to recrudesce a disjoined RCS encoding touchstone with the GSMA .
And Android substance will still be exhibit in greenish house of cards .
