Tensions flare in US courts as Meta confronts explosive accusations over WhatsApp’s data handling. A newly filed lawsuit in San Francisco posits that the app’s end-to-end encryption is mere marketing hype, with Meta allegedly storing and probing private messages at will.
International plaintiffs from Brazil, Mexico, India, and beyond seek class-action certification, charging top brass with worldwide fraud. The stakes? Vindication for potentially billions shortchanged on privacy.
Meta’s retort was unequivocal: ‘Baseless claims unworthy of court time.’ Highlighting a decade of Signal Protocol encryption, the firm stressed message sanctity between users only. Legal teams are geared for counteroffensives.
From 2009 iOS launch to 2010 Android expansion, WhatsApp scaled meteorically, surpassing 200 million users pre-acquisition. Facebook’s 2014 $19 billion swoop, announced by Zuckerberg in Barcelona, fused it into Meta’s empire.
Boasting 3 billion global actives—including a hefty US contingent—WhatsApp reigns supreme. As litigation looms, it underscores the fragility of trust in tech privacy narratives, with ripple effects certain for users and industry alike.