WhatsApp Privacy Row Deepens as Lawsuit Alleges Meta Access to Messages, Musk Questions Security
A new lawsuit challenges WhatsApp’s encryption claims, while Elon Musk fuels the debate by questioning its security publicly.
A fresh legal challenge in the United States has once again placed WhatsApp and its parent company Meta under scrutiny, raising concerns about whether the platform’s much-advertised end-to-end encryption truly keeps messages private. The lawsuit, filed in a San Francisco federal court, alleges that Meta may still be able to access and analyze user conversations — a claim the company strongly denies.
Here’s a clear look at the unfolding controversy in five key points.
1. Lawsuit targets WhatsApp’s privacy promise
At the heart of the case is WhatsApp’s central claim: that only the sender and receiver can read messages shared on the platform. Plaintiffs argue this promise may be misleading. According to the complaint, Meta allegedly stores and analyzes large volumes of private communications, despite repeatedly assuring users that messages are inaccessible to anyone outside the chat. The lawsuit accuses the company and its leadership of effectively deceiving billions of users about the app’s security safeguards.
2. Users from several countries join the case
The case isn’t limited to American users. Bloomberg reports that plaintiffs come from multiple countries, including India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa. This international participation adds broader significance to the lawsuit, suggesting that concerns about WhatsApp’s privacy practices extend beyond a single market. The complaint further claims that Meta employees may have access to the content of messages — an allegation that, if proven, could reshape global trust in encrypted messaging services.
3. Whistleblower claims surface
The lawsuit references “whistleblowers” who allegedly revealed internal practices at the company. However, it provides few specifics about who these individuals are or what evidence they shared. The lack of detail leaves many unanswered questions and may become a crucial factor as the case moves forward in court. Legal experts say concrete proof will likely be necessary for the claims to hold up.
4. Meta rejects accusations outright
Meta has responded aggressively, dismissing the lawsuit as baseless and misleading. A company spokesperson pushed back strongly against the allegations. Andy Stone said, “Any claim that people’s WhatsApp messages are not encrypted is categorically false and absurd.” He added, “WhatsApp has been end-to-end encrypted using the Signal protocol for a decade. This lawsuit is a frivolous work of fiction.”
Meta has indicated it may pursue sanctions against the lawyers behind the case, reinforcing its position that the claims lack merit.
5. Elon Musk adds fuel to the debate
The controversy quickly spilled onto social media, where Elon Musk entered the discussion. Using the moment to promote his own messaging platform, he posted: “WhatsApp is not secure. Even Signal is questionable. Use X Chat.” His remarks intensified conversations around digital privacy and added a competitive angle to the debate over encrypted communication tools.
As the lawsuit unfolds, it is likely to renew global questions about how secure private messaging apps really are — and whether users’ data is as protected as promised.
