HiTechEdge

Tag: WhatsApp

  • Meta Delaying Rollout of End-to-End Messaging Encryption Until 2023

    Meta Delaying Rollout of End-to-End Messaging Encryption Until 2023

    Meta has said it is delaying the rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across its messaging services until 2023 over child safety concerns.

    Meta, formerly Facebook, has been working for some time to provide unified E2EE across its various messaging services, including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The move has been criticized by some legislators over concerns about child safety and the ability to solve, or even prevent, crimes.

    WhatsApp already has E2EE, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in early November the company was rolling out E2EE across Messenger. This plans appear to be paused, according to an article in The Telegraph, by Antigone Davis, Meta Global Head of Safety.

    “We’ll continue engaging with outside experts and developing effective solutions to combat abuse because our work in this area is never done,” says Davis. “We’re taking our time to get this right and we don’t plan to finish the global rollout of end-to-end encryption by default across all our messaging services until sometime in 2023. As a company that connects billions of people around the world and has built industry-leading technology, we’re determined to protect people’s private communications and keep people safe online.”

    The move is sure to disappoint customers and privacy proponents.

  • Android 12 Brings iOS to Android WhatsApp Migration

    Android 12 Brings iOS to Android WhatsApp Migration

    Google has brought a major new feature to the latest Android update, enabling iOS to Android WhatsApp migration.

    WhatsApp is one of the most popular secure messaging platforms. The app is available on both iOS and Android, but users looking to switch platforms haven’t always had an easy go of it.

    Google is trying to solve that pain point with its recent Android 12 update.

    “Switching to a new phone can be a daunting experience, especially if you are moving to a completely different operating system,” writes Paul Dunlop, Product Manager. “We want to make this process easier, so with the recent Android 12 release, we added the ability to transfer all your essentials by connecting your iPhone with your new Android phone using a cable. With your permission, Android automatically matches and installs the same apps from Google Play, and lets you easily bring your SMS and iMessage history with you, along with photos, videos, contacts, calendars and more.”

    The process is relatively simple, and works by connecting the two phones to each other.

    “All you need is a USB-C to Lightning cable to get started,” continues Dunlop. “Simply connect your phones, and when prompted while setting up your new Android device, scan a QR code on your iPhone to launch WhatsApp and move all your conversations, media and more over to your new device.”

    The new feature is good news for Android users, and iOS users looking to switch.

  • WhatsApp Ending Support For Android Versions Older Than 4.1

    WhatsApp Ending Support For Android Versions Older Than 4.1

    WhatsApp is ending support for Android 4.0.4 and older beginning November 1, meaning impacted users have less than a week to save their chats.

    WhatsApp is one of the most poplar messaging platforms, used by individuals and organizations around the world. As such, the app supports a wide range of hardware and OS versions.

    Users of Android 4.0.4 and older, however, are about to lose access to WhatsApp, as the company will only support version 4.1 and newer beginning November 1.

    The company recommends saving chat history before the deadline.

    Note: WhatsApp will no longer support Android phones running OS 4.0.4 and older on November 1, 2021. Please switch to a supported device or save your chat history before then. Learn how in this article.

  • WhatsApp Began Rolling Out E2EE Chat Backups Thursday

    WhatsApp Began Rolling Out E2EE Chat Backups Thursday

    WhatsApp started rolling out end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) chat backups on Thursday, fulfilling a promise CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a month ago.

    WhatsApp has offered E2EE for its chats for some time, but cloud backups have not enjoyed the same level of encryption and security. A month ago, Zuckerberg announced the company was adding the feature, and it began rolling out Thursday.

    Zuckerberg announced the rolled in a Facebook post.

    End-to-end encrypted backups for WhatsApp starting to roll out today. Proud of the team for continuing to lead on security for your private conversations.

    According to Engadget, the feature will roll out gradually to ensure reliability for all users.

  • Signal and Telegram Big Winners Amid Facebook’s Outage

    Signal and Telegram Big Winners Amid Facebook’s Outage

    Signal and Telegram saw millions of people flock to their platforms, thanks to Facebook’s hours-long outage Monday.

    Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp went down late Monday morning, in what is one of the biggest outages the company has ever experienced. Given how much people rely on Messenger and WhatsApp for daily communication — both personal and business — people started looking for alternatives during the outage.

    Telegram saw such an influx of users that it experienced some issues of its own. Meanwhile, Signal said it gained millions of new users in a tweet.

  • TikTok Reaches 3 Billion Downloads, the First Non-Facebook App to Do So

    TikTok Reaches 3 Billion Downloads, the First Non-Facebook App to Do So

    TikTok has hit a major milestone, becoming the first mobile app outside of Facebook’s ecosystem to reach 3 billion downloads.

    TikTok has been one of the fastest growing social media platforms, despite ongoing privacy concerns. The service has now become the first non-Facebook app to cross 3 billion downloads, according to SensorTower.

    “With the 3 billion install milestone, TikTok is the fifth non-game app to join a tier that’s historically been the exclusive domain of Facebook,” writes Stephanie Chan, SensorTower Mobile Insights Strategist. “Based on worldwide installs from the App Store and Google Play and excluding pre-installed apps, the four other apps that have accrued more than 3 billion installs since January 2014 include WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram.”

    The milestone is even more impressive when considering the pressure TikTok has been under, being banned in India and narrowly surviving a US attempt to ban it.

  • BEUC File Complaint Against WhatsApp Over Privacy Update

    BEUC File Complaint Against WhatsApp Over Privacy Update

    The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has filed a complaint over WhatsApp’s privacy update.

    Facebook and WhatsApp sparked a furor over a proposed privacy update, in which Facebook would share data from WhatsApp with other Facebook-owned companies. Initially, Facebook said users would be locked out of their accounts if they did not accept the new terms by a certain date.

    The backlash was swift and severe, with many WhatsApp users (including yours truly) closing their accounts. Signal and Telegram, in particular, saw huge increases in their user bases as a result of Facebook’s plans. Facebook postponed the cutoff deadline in response, before finally saying they would not close accounts that did not accept the new terms.

    Despite Facebook walking back its position, the BEUC has filed a complaint, according to SFGate. The BEUC has accused WhatsApp of bombarding users with prompts to accept the new terms, and says the service has not been clear or transparent regarding the terms of the new agreement.

    “WhatsApp has been bombarding users for months with aggressive and persistent pop-up messages to force them to accept its new terms of use and privacy policy,” BEUC Director General Monique Goyens said. “They’ve been telling users that their access to their app will be cut off if they do not accept the new terms. Yet consumers don’t know what they’re actually accepting.”

    The complaint is the latest setback Facebook has faced, and is further demonstration of the increasing importance of privacy to consumers.

  • Facebook and WhatsApp Do About-Face on Privacy Update

    Facebook and WhatsApp Do About-Face on Privacy Update

    Facebook and WhatsApp appear to be doing an about-face on a controversial privacy update.

    Facebook sparked a furor when it announced it would start sharing WhatsApp data with other Facebook-owned companies. Users who failed to agree to the new terms would be locked out of the app until they did agree. Many users deleted their account and switched to competing platforms, and several countries came out in opposition to the move.

    In response to the backlash, Facebook initially postponed the rollout date, and then partially reversed course, saying people would not get locked out of the app. Instead, users would be persistently reminded to accept the terms, and be subjected to limited functionality until they did so.

    The company now appears to be doing a complete about-face, sayingit will not keep reminding individuals or limit their functionality.

    Considering the majority of users who have seen the update have accepted, we’ll continue to display a notification in WhatsApp providing more information about the update and reminding those who haven’t had a chance to do so to review and accept. We currently have no plans for these reminders to become persistent and to limit the functionality of the app.

    If WhatsApp does indeed abide by this statement, score one for privacy advocates who kept pushing back.

  • India Stepping Up Pressure on WhatsApp Over Privacy Changes

    India Stepping Up Pressure on WhatsApp Over Privacy Changes

    India is ramping up its pressure on WhatsApp, wanting the company to abandon its recent privacy changes.

    Facebook unleashed a firestorm of controversy when it announced it would start sharing WhatsApp user data with other Facebook-owned companies. In addition to losing subscribers to other, more privacy-conscious apps, multiple countries have started pushing back.

    Germany was the first to outright ban the changes, with Hamburg’s data protection commissioner securing a three-month emergency order to stop the new changes from going into effect in Germany.

    India had likewise expressed concerns over WhatsApp’s changes, but now the country is stepping up the pressure. According to TechCrunch, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has written a letter to WhatsApp, and given the company seven days to respond.

    “In fulfilment of its sovereign responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Indian citizens, the government of India will consider various options available to it under laws in India,” the letter reads.

    “It is not just problematic, but also irresponsible, for WhatsApp to leverage this position to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users, particularly those that discriminate against Indian users vis-à-vis users in Europe.”


    It remains to be seen how WhatsApp and Facebook will respond.

  • WhatsApp Delays Privacy Changes in Brazil

    WhatsApp Delays Privacy Changes in Brazil

    WhatsApp is delaying rollout of its new privacy policy in Brazil amid pushback from the government.

    Facebook caused a firestorm of controversy when it announced it would share WhatsApp data with other Facebook-owned companies. The announcement sparked a mass exodus of users to more privacy-conscious apps, such as Signal and Telegram. While users initially would lose access if they failed to agree to the new policy, Facebook later altered course, saying users would experience limited functionality if they failed to agree.

    Governments have joined in the pushback as well, with Germany and India opposed to the move. Brazil joins the list of companies with concerns over the changes. The country’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), national consumer body Senacon, competition watchdog Cade and the Federal Prosecution Service have been in talks with WhatsApp, according to ZDNet.

    Under the agreement, users will retain full functionality for three more months, while the Brazilian agencies continue to scrutinize the new privacy policy.

    “WhatsApp has informed that it will not close any account, and that no user in Brazil will lose access to the application’s features in the 90-day period after May 15 as a result of the enforcement of the new privacy policy and the new terms of service,” said Brazilian authorities in a statement.