Editing Instant messaging (section)

=== Message history ===
Instant messages are often logged in a local message history, similar to emails' persistent nature. IM networks may store messages with either local-based device storage (e.g. [[WhatsApp]], [[Viber]], [[Line (software)|Line]], [[WeChat]], [[Signal (messaging app)|Signal]] etc. software) or cloud-based server storage provided by the service (e.g. [[Telegram (software)|Telegram]], [[Skype]], [[Facebook Messenger]], Google [[Google Meet|Meet]]/[[Google Chat|Chat]], [[Discord]], [[Slack (software)|Slack]] etc.). Although cloud-based storage is advertised to offer [[encrypted]] messages, it poses an increased risk that the IM provider may have access to the decryption keys and view the user's saved messages.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doffman |first=Zak |title=No, Don't Quit WhatsApp To Use Telegram Instead—Here's Why |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/02/13/why-you-should-stop-using-telegram-instead-of-whatsapp-use-signal-or-apple-imessage/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

This requires users to trust IM servers and providers because messages can generally be accessed by the company. Companies may be compelled to reveal their user's communication and suspend user accounts for any reason.<ref>{{cite web |date=26 May 2015 |title=Skype hauled into court after refusing to hand call records to cops |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/05/26/skype_in_belgium_court_summons_microsoft/ |access-date=17 March 2017 |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref>