If the government wants to see what you’re doing on WhatsApp, they can crack its encryption using a secret key. However, this would require a backdoor or other weakness. The fact that WhatsApp is closed source means there is no direct evidence of a backdoor. It is possible, but highly unlikely. Here are the legal ways that law enforcement can obtain data from a secure messaging app. Let’s examine them now.
PIB fact check
A PIB fact check has ruled the tick mark claims on WhatsApp are bogus. The Government of India has not yet implemented such a rule. The PIB also tweeted about the tick mark claim back in April, when the message went viral. The PIB also warned people not to forward any fake news. In fact, it says, “the tick mark claim has become an Internet meme.”
The PIB’s official Twitter account has warned users about a new false WhatsApp forward, which claims the government will be providing relief funds for the Covid-19 pandemic. The Press Information Bureau, or PIB, has verified that the message is a fake and misleading misinformation campaign. It warns users to be careful about any website asking for personal information. The PIB fact check on WhatsApp has warned users of these fraudulent sites.
New privacy terms
Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has recently updated its terms of service and privacy policy. The update is intended to make the service more integrated with other services, such as Facebook. Those who use the app will see how the company uses personal data for ecommerce, which includes user phone numbers, device ID, rough location, how to see someone’s text messages and transaction data. While many users welcomed the new terms, some thought that this move violated their privacy and that Facebook, the company that owns WhatsApp, was trying to get their data.
However, WhatsApp is still planning to roll out the controversial new terms. The company has delayed the rollout for three months in response to user backlash. While there’s no change to the overall policy, the delay means that users will be notified of the new terms. If they do not accept the terms, they’ll be reminded to accept them or lose access to the messaging app and all messages and missed calls. If they refuse to accept the new terms, the app will be shut off, and users will no longer be able to send or receive WhatsApp messages.
Artificial intelligence scans unencrypted data on WhatsApp
Although users can delete individual posts on Instagram or Facebook, the same cannot be done on WhatsApp. While users can report a message as abusive, they can’t delete the contents themselves. Rather, the company’s artificial intelligence system scans unencrypted data collected by the social network and compares it to certain patterns. This data includes users’ name, profile picture, language, time zone, and Internet signal strength.
The AI program scans the unencrypted data on WhatsApp to detect suspicious practices. It can also identify information such as user groups, unique mobile IDs, battery level, and signal strength. WhatsApp is not required to tell users how many messages it scans every day, but it can tell if a user has made an unusual number of calls or messages. However, users should not panic: this process will only be effective if users report inappropriate messages to the company.
Legal mechanisms available to law enforcement to obtain data from secure messaging apps
The FBI has listed six legal mechanisms available to law enforcement to obtain data from a user’s secure messaging app. A subpoena can render basic subscriber information and up to 25 days of iMessage lookups. This is not enough to get access to a user’s iMessages, however.
WhatsApp recently added the capability of extending messaging E2EE to cloud backups.
The document is an FBI training document that describes the legal mechanisms available to law enforcement to obtain data from the encrypted messages users send and receive. The document outlines the various methods by which law enforcement can obtain stored message content and metadata. While each app is different, these examples should give users some privacy guidance and dispel myths about surveillance capabilities. This document was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Fake tick marks on WhatsApp message
The latest rumour circulating on WhatsApp talks about the government monitoring the service and reading users’ messages. This false news claims that the government has already started court proceedings to prevent the app from being used to send illegal content. But the fact is that WhatsApp does not change the delivery system. Users are still not aware that the government is monitoring their conversations via ticks. This misleading message comes in the middle of a legal battle between WhatsApp and the government over IT rules.
In WhatsApp, there are three types of check marks. The first grey checkmark indicates that the message has been sent, while the second grey tick means it was delivered successfully. The double blue tick indicates that the recipient has read the message. While WhatsApp has not yet implemented this new rule, users of iOS devices can turn off the blue ticks so that the sender will never know whether his or her message has been read. But this method may not work well for everyone.
