A WARNING that Facebook could be “secretly spying” on WhatsApp messages has been circulating on social media.
WhatsApp’s tech giant, Alamy Researches, scans messages, photos, and videos for inappropriate content.
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Researches claimed that Facebook can read some WhatsApp messages despite the encryption.
In aForbesarticle titled “Is Facebook ‘Secretly’ Spying On Your WhatsApp Messages?” cyber-security expertZak Doffmanexamines whether Facebook is reading encrypted WhatsApp messages, “undermining privacy protections for its 2 billion users.”
He says there is “an inherent and awkward sensitivity” across WhatsApp users “that the world’s largest secure messenger is owned by the world’s most avaricious data harvester.”
He says that is the reason WhatsApp faced backlash when advised users to accept new terms of service.
Concern was sparked among social media users after a report published by investigative non-profit ProPublica revealed “1,000 contract workers filling floors of office buildings in Austin, Texas, Dublin and Singapore… using special Facebook software to sift through millions of private messages, images and videos.”
This made many believe end-to-end encryption is not as private as we thought but Pro Publica clarified in an update that it was referring to photos and videos that have been flagged as inappropriate by users.
The update said: “A previous version of this story caused unintended confusion about the extent to which WhatsApp examines its users’ messages and whether it breaks the encryption that keeps the exchanges secret.
“We’ve altered language in the story to make clear that the company examines only messages from threads that have been reported by users as possibly abusive. It does not break end-to-end encryption.”
This is despite promises made by executives when Facebook purchased WhatsApp in 2014. They said that neither company would have access to user data.
WhatsApp users have reported the improper data to workers and it was then reviewed by Facebook’s artificial intelligent systems.
The report says that WhatsApp’s moderation contractors are notified when users report abuse.
They handle all claims, from spam or fraud to images of child sexual abuse or potential terrorist plotting.
WhatsApp Head Will Cathcart stated that news is not an issue.
“I think we absolutely can have security and safety for people through end-to-end encryption and work with law enforcement to solve crimes,” He stated that the news was not an issue.
WhatsApp spokesperson stated that WhatsApp allows users to report abuse or spam, and even share the latest messages within a chat.
“This feature is crucial for preventing the most severe internet abuse.
“We strongly disagree with the notion that accepting reports a user chooses to send us is incompatible with end-to-end encryption.”
Cyber experts warned users earlier this month to discontinue Messenger because of a privacy failure.
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