WhatsApp Encryption

WhatsApp will focus on making connections richer, letting users complete tasks such as paying bills within chats and using AI to improve efficiency, while keeping personal messages and calls end-to-end encrypted, CEO Kunal Shah said on Wednesday. Shah, who took charge of the Meta-owned messaging platform in June this year, said he has spent the last few months listening to users and understanding what they wanted from WhatsApp. "...What I heard is simple: help people stay close to those who matter to them, and get more done on WhatsApp. So that's what we'll build," he said in a post on X. He stated that people send over 10 billion voice messages and over 4 billion stickers on WhatsApp every day. "First, we want to make connections richer. Sometimes hearing someone's voice, sending a joke, agreeing on a plan or knowing they're safe is the whole point. As the way people communicate evolves, we will evolve these experiences with them. We'll make voice notes, groups, stickers and video

Initially, authorities slowed down the app, but the latest move is more serious and wide-ranging

The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on Meta Platforms Inc and WhatsApp while hearing their appeals against a Competition Commission of India order imposing a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore over the privacy policy, saying tech giants cannot "play with the right to privacy of citizens in the name of data sharing". A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that it will pass an interim order on February 9. The top court ordered that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology be made a party to the petitions. It was hearing appeals filed by Meta and WhatsApp against a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) judgment that upheld the CCI's findings of abuse of dominance, while granting limited relief on advertising-related data sharing. "You can't play with the right of privacy of this country in the name of data sharing. We will not allow you to share a single word of the data, either you give an ...

Meta has previously been accused of running afoul of rules meant to protect user privacy, including several data and privacy mishaps that ultimately led to a record $5 bn fine by the US FTC in 2019

Following Apple and Google footsteps, Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has introduces a lockdown-style security option to add extra layer of protection beyond what it offers as default

Meta Platforms has been sued by an international group of plaintiffs over claims related to WhatsApp's privacy and data security

Plaintiffs allege Meta and WhatsApp can access users' private chats, accusing the company of misleading billions worldwide about WhatsApp's privacy and security claim

WhatsApp is reportedly simplifying encrypted chat backup recovery with passkey support, letting users unlock backups using fingerprint, face ID, or device PIN

WhatsApp's new beta update for Android lets users set custom message reminders to keep track of important chats and group conversations

Reportedly, WhatsApp on Windows is moving away from the native app foundation in favour of a web-based version, likely to streamline development process

WhatsApp now offers AI-generated summaries for unread chats using Private Processing, letting users quickly catch up while ensuring messages remain encrypted and no data leaves the device

Users of the Meta Platforms Inc. service in Beijing and Shanghai, who normally employ workarounds like a virtual private network to get on the service, are using it normally

WhatsApp is currently contesting the IT Rules case in India, wherein it faces the prospect of being compelled to compromise chat encryption to aid the government in message tracing

WhatsApp said that people use its platform because end-to-end messages are encrypted, ensuring privacy

passkeys allows users to authenticate using biometrics such as fingerprints or facial scans, instead of a conventional password

Meta in a press note stated that the third-party providers will have to sign an agreement with Messenger and WhatsApp and demonstrate similar security standards to enable interoperability

In an interview with Wired, WhatsApp said that users will get the option to choose if they want other to contact them using other platforms

WhatsApp in a statement said it had received eight orders from India's GAC and all orders were complied with. GAC was formed in February last year to address concerns related to social media platforms

A similar feature is available on Apple iPhones with SharePlay, which allows users to listen to tracks from Apple Music, watch a movie or TV show from a compatible app, and share screen over FaceTime

'This step-by-step feature guides you through important privacy settings to help you choose the right level of protection, all in one place,' said Meta in a Blog post