Private messaging has captured the attention of the most popular public social networks in the last two months and, surprisingly, this push among tech companies may have a very non-technical driving force.
The feature that adds a little privacy to social platforms that thrive on openness has been a point of emphasis since October for Twitter, Facebook, and most notably Instagram. Other private messaging services like WhatsApp, Kik, and even Snapchat have been busy as well, sending a clear message of their own: Private interactions are necessary, even in a world where public sharing dominates.
