WhatsApp found itself in an unexpected storm this week after a lighthearted social media post went terribly wrong. The Meta-owned messaging platform, known for emphasizing privacy and end-to-end encryption, sparked alarm when it posted a playful message on X that read, “people who end messages with ‘lol’ we see you, we honor you.” What was meant as a fun cultural nod quickly became a PR misstep, as users were unsettled by the phrase “we see you,” which seemed to contradict WhatsApp’s most fundamental promise—that it can’t see users’ messages at all.
Within minutes, the post went viral, amassing over five million views and an avalanche of concerned replies. “What about end-to-end encryption?” several users asked, worried that WhatsApp was implying it had access to private conversations. The company quickly attempted to clarify the misunderstanding, replying, “We meant ‘we see you’ figuratively lol (see what we did there?). Your personal messages are protected by end-to-end encryption and no one, not even WhatsApp, can see them.”
Despite the clarification, the irony wasn’t lost on users—or critics. A platform that has spent years assuring its three billion users that their messages are private had just posted a statement that could easily be read as the opposite. The timing and phrasing of the post made it a perfect recipe for confusion, especially given the long-running public skepticism around Meta’s privacy practices.
WhatsApp continued to explain that the message was simply a humorous way to connect with users who
[…]
Content was cut in order to protect the source.Please visit the source for the rest of the article.
This article has been indexed from CySecurity News – Latest Information Security and Hacking Incidents
Read the original article:
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
