Facebook-owned Facebook has always convinced users that no one can read chat because it’s an end-to-end encrypted.
But a recent report by Propublica claims that Facebook undermines whatsapp privacy protection.
Even though it ensures whatsapp encryption E2E users, Facebook moderators can access “user messages, images, and video”, according to the report.
Although it is undeniable that Facebook moderator does have the ability to check messages sent on WhatsApp, there is one important information that fails to clarify the report.
Only the messages reported by the user can be checked by the moderator – which is basically a Facebook contract worker.
According to reports by 9to5 Mac, Facebook moderator can only view and check “User messages, images, and video” only when the sender or receiver presses the report key to report the message to WhatsApp.
“When the message recipient uses the WhatsApp report feature, the message is effectively forwarded automatically to Facebook,” according to the report by 9to5 Mac.
It also added that “submitting a report to make encrypted messages to the new end to Facebook, which then holds the key because it is the recipient of the message in question.” Now, this sounds clear as submitting a report or manually to tell whatsapp to see certain messages will definitely get the moderator’s attention.
But what is not clear is when you report a message, WhatsApp automatically includes “four previous messages” and moderators get access to a total of 5 consecutive messages including those that have been reported by the user.
“WhatsApp provides a way for people to report spam or harassment, which includes sharing the latest messages in chat.
This feature is important to prevent the worst abuse on the internet.
We strongly disagree with the idea that receiving the user selected report to send us is not compatible with end encryption To the end, “according to the statement by WhatsApp to 9to5 Mac in another word, when you report a message to WhatsApp, the moderator will clearly check the message and its content and along with that the moderator will also check the previous four previous messages for context.
The whole process is still encrypted E2e as claimed by WhatsApp.
This is when WhatsApp can ‘read’ your chat despite E2e encryption
