Facebook is reportedly planning a big merger between its main messaging platform, Messenger, and auxiliary properties WhatsApp and Instagram.
Facebook has been adamant about social media domination — and this sounds like a huge next step for the platform. The goal is to create the “the best messaging experiences” out there for social media users.
A Facebook spokesperson says the joining of apps will provide a “fast, simple, reliable, and private” way to communicate. However, experts have warned that such a merger could greatly affect privacy. For example, WhatsApp does not currently require users to provide a name or any identifying information. That all could easily change with a Facebook merger. 
“We’re working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks,” Facebook’s spokesperson assures.
“As you would expect, there is a lot of discussion and debate as we begin the long process of figuring out all the details of how this [merger] will work.”
Writes Independent, “The apps will remain distinct from each other, although the underlying messaging infrastucture would be unified, according to people familiar with the matter. ”
For better or worse, the merger is expected to take place by early next year.
Source: Independent
