A lawsuit has been filed against Meta, raising questions about the security of WhatsApp messages. Users from multiple countries have alleged that Meta is misleading WhatsApp users by making false claims about end-to-end encryption. Meta, however, has denied all allegations.
Lawsuit questions WhatsApp’s encryption
The lawsuit was filed on Friday in a Federal Court in San Francisco, according to a Bloomberg report. It claims that while WhatsApp states that only the sender and recipient can read messages, this is not entirely true in practice.
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Within the app, WhatsApp informs users that no one other than those involved in the chat can read text messages or listen to audio messages. This system, known as end-to-end encryption, is enabled by default, Meta says. The plaintiffs, however, argue that Meta stores, analyses, and can access users’ conversations when necessary. They further allege that company employees may be able to view these messages in certain situations. Users from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa are part of this lawsuit. The complaint also references whistleblowers, though their identities have not been disclosed.
Meta has dismissed the allegations. Company spokesperson Andy Stone said that the claim that WhatsApp messages are not encrypted is completely false and ridiculous. He added that end-to-end encryption has been active on WhatsApp using the Signal Protocol for the past decade, making the lawsuit baseless. Meta has confirmed that it will fight the lawsuit in court.
