After news broke that Facebook has been quietly deleting messages that CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously sent, the social media giant has now revealed that users will soon be able to retract any message. According to TechCrunch, this forthcoming "unsend" feature will be available within the near future, but details of how it will function remain relatively scant as of now.
Facebook currently offers a Secret Conversation mode for its Messenger app, which gives users the ability to set set a timer for messages to self-destruct and disappear from a conversation; however, those engaging within the exchange will be notified when their thread will expire.
WhatsApp has already implemented a similar feature last year, allowing someone to erase their message within an allotted timeframe. As a result, a note proclaiming "this message was deleted" will fill the void of the expunged text, video or photo that was previously sent.
Instagram, who is owned by Facebook, also allows messages to be deleted if the recipient has not viewed it or its ancillary push notification. A user can simply press down on the message they wish to eradicate and select "unsend;" the recipient will not be alerted if this happens.
Many have found the revelation that Zuckerberg's old messages were deleted to be a breach of trust along the lines of the Cambridge Analytica debaucle that has plagued the company for weeks. Facebook has revealed they will not de deleting anymore messages until the feature is rolled out for the rest of their expansive community of users.