Mark Zuckerberg has warned Facebook Messenger users about a feature that could catch people off guard, one built into end-to-end encrypted chats: taking a screenshot of a disappearing message now notifies the other person.
What Zuckerberg said
Announcing the update in a 2022 post, Zuckerberg explained that end-to-end encrypted Messenger chats would now notify a user if someone screenshotted a disappearing message, alongside the addition of GIFs, stickers, and reactions to encrypted conversations. He demonstrated the feature using a screenshot of a conversation between himself and his wife, Priscilla Chan, showing the notification that appeared after she screenshotted one of his messages.
Where the feature came from
Facebook first introduced disappearing messages through Vanish Mode in 2020, giving Messenger and Instagram users a way to send messages that automatically disappeared once viewed and the chat was closed, similar to features already popular on platforms like Snapchat. The setting required both participants to opt in and could be activated by swiping up within a chat. At the time, Messenger product manager Bridget Pujals and Instagram product manager Manik Singh said the feature was designed with user safety and control in mind.
Where things stand now
Facebook's Help Center now states that Vanish Mode itself is no longer supported, though disappearing messages continue to exist as a feature and are being gradually rolled out, meaning not all users currently have access to it. Those who do can check by opening a chat, selecting the other person's name, and navigating to Privacy and Support, then Disappearing Messages.
Zuckerberg's broader vision
Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook in 2004, growing it into a global platform before the company rebranded as Meta to reflect its focus on AI, virtual reality, and the metaverse. He's previously spoken about wanting digital communication to move beyond screens entirely, telling The Verge that people weren't designed to interact through small glowing rectangles or grids of faces on video calls, and predicting a future where holographic presence could make remote conversations feel like being in the same room.
