Google has begun testing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in Android Messages for RCS group conversations. Some users registered in the Messages open beta programme will get access to the feature in the coming weeks, ahead of a wider deployment. During their I/O 2022 developer conference, Google said that an E2EE beta for group chats will be ready by the end of the year.
The change comes 18 months after Google Messages began delivering E2EE for one-on-one discussions to keep conversations private from prying eyes. It began testing E2EE in Messages in November 2020, thus the privacy feature may not be available for all group conversations for some months.
