Is WhatsApp Really Private? US Steps In As Meta Faces Serious Allegations

A Bloomberg report has claimed that the US government looked into claims made by former Meta contractors. These people alleged that WhatsApp messages could be accessed even though the app says all chats

and calls are protected with end-to-end encryption. According to the report, the former contractors claimed that they and some Meta employees had full access to WhatsApp messages. The matter was reportedly examined by special officers from the US Department of Commerce. This raised serious questions about whether WhatsApp chats are truly private, especially at a time when millions of users depend on the app for personal and professional communication.Responding to the claims, WhatsApp has completely denied any wrongdoing. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that the allegations are technically impossible. He clarified that WhatsApp, its employees, and even its contractors cannot read users’ messages because of end-to-end encryption.Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Says You Are Braindead If You Believe WhatsApp Is Secure

The instant messaging platform has long maintained that its encryption ensures only the sender and receiver can read messages or hear calls. According to the company, even WhatsApp itself cannot access these communications, making the platform one of the most secure messaging apps in the world.The allegations reportedly triggered interest from the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), leading to speculation about a possible investigation. However, the Bureau of Industry and Security later denied this.A BIS spokesperson clarified that the agency is not investigating WhatsApp or Meta for any violations related to export or security laws. The agency also stated that the claims mentioned in media reports were unverified and should not be treated as confirmed findings.Adding to WhatsApp’s troubles, a separate report by Forbes suggested that Google had flagged a security vulnerability in WhatsApp that could put users at risk. Once again, WhatsApp denied this claim.The company said Google did not issue any warning to Android users and clarified that the issue was a routine bug that had already been fixed last year. WhatsApp stressed that working with Google to fix bugs is part of standard security practices.As governments and users continue to question how tech companies handle data, WhatsApp and Meta may face ongoing pressure to prove that user chats are truly private and protected.