The companies, which together with Apple form the most powerful and wealthy of the Silicon Valley elite, hope to make their data significantly more difficult for authorities to tap into.
It comes as Apple is due to appear in court this month to fight an order to help the U.S. Government hack into a suspected terrorist's iPhone.
Facebook, Google and Snapchat have ignored US Government demands for access to private data
According to The Guardian, Facebook's WhatsApp plans to extend its secure messaging service within weeks and it plans to improve security in its Messenger app.
Snapchat and Google are also working on secure technology for their respective instant messaging and email products, the paper reported.
FBI director James Comey testifies on the encryption of the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino attackers
The court battle between the FBI and Apple over encryption moved to Congress two weeks ago - when both sides argued security is at risk.
FBI chief James Comey defended his agency's efforts to force Apple to help unlock an iPhone in the San Bernardino attacks probe, saying that law enforcement's job may be crippled by 'warrant-proof spaces' that become inaccessible to investigators.
Comey said Americans need to know the safety implications if encryption makes it impossible to access data on smartphones and other devices.
'It's our job to tell the American people the tools we use to keep you safe are becoming less effective,' Comey told the House Judiciary Committee hearing.
'If there are warrant-proof spaces in American life, what does it mean? What are the costs?'
While everyone values privacy, he added, 'there are times law enforcement saves our lives and rescues our children'.
But Comey also acknowledged that forcing Apple to help unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters could set a precedent for other investigations.
Protesters demonstrate outside an Apple store in LA over government attempts to put a backdoor into the iPhone
It is going to be potentially precedential, that's just the way the law works,' he said in response to a question from Representative John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat.
The hearing comes amid an intense legal and political battle after Apple said it would challenge a court order to provide the FBI technical assistance to help break into the San Bernardino iPhone.
Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell told the panel the public should understand that 'encryption is a good thing, a necessary thing' - even if it makes the work of law enforcement more difficult.
He said Apple is being asked to develop a tool that could be used on any iPhone, even with more advanced encryption, which could make users vulnerable to hackers and government surveillance.
'This is not about the San Bernardino case - this is about the safety and security of every iPhone that is in use today,' Sewell said.
Source:Guardian & DailyMail UK
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