WhatsApp privacy claims face scrutiny
Elon Musk has reignited the privacy debate around WhatsApp after posting on X that the app is “not secure,” even questioning the safety of Signal while promoting X Chat as an alternative. His comments come amid a new lawsuit filed in a US district court that challenges WhatsApp’s long-standing claim of end-to-end encryption. The case, brought by an international group of plaintiffs, alleges that Meta and WhatsApp may have the ability to access private messages, putting the platform’s privacy assurances under renewed scrutiny.
Lawsuit alleges WhatsApp encryption can be bypassed
According to a Bloomberg report, the lawsuit has been filed by users from countries including Australia, Mexico, and South Africa, who claim WhatsApp’s security protections are effectively nonexistent. The plaintiffs allege that Meta employees can access private user messages at will, directly challenging the platform’s long-standing claims around end-to-end encryption.
Whistleblowers claim internal access tools exist
Central to the case is testimony from unnamed “courageous whistleblowers,” who allege that Meta’s internal systems allow staff to bypass encryption through a simple request process. The 51-page complaint claims employees can submit an internal “task” which, once approved by an engineer, enables real-time access to a user’s messages via a unique User ID.
The lawsuit further alleges this access is unlimited in time, potentially allowing employees to...
WhatsApp privacy claims face scrutiny Elon Musk has reignited the privacy debate around WhatsApp after posting on X that the app is “not secure,” even questioning the safety of Signal while promoti...