Can Meta Access Your WhatsApp Chats? - New Lawsuit Puts Tech Giant Under Fire

So many of us use WhatsApp for daily messaging as it guarantees our privacy. When WhatsApp tells you that messages are end-to-end encrypted, most people understand this to mean that no one outside the conversation can read or intercept those messages. That assurance has helped make WhatsApp one of the world's most popular messaging platforms with billions of users across the globe.

However, a new lawsuit filed against Meta Platforms Inc, the parent company of WhatsApp, has challenged these big privacy claims, alleging that the tech giant has misled its users. This legal challenge has triggered global interest and increased scrutiny of how big technology companies handle private data in an era where digital privacy concerns are escalating.

Outside the courtroom battle, critics and regulators are taking a closer look at Meta's practices regarding encryption, data access, and the ways in which user information is used. What seemed like an uncontroversial privacy guarantee is now at the centre of a bigger debate on trust, transparency and corporate responsibility.

The Lawsuit Against WhatsApp and Meta

Now, a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of users from multiple countries is confronting Meta in a US federal court in San Francisco. The plaintiffs argue that WhatsApp's claims regarding end-to-end encryption are misleading and do not reflect how the service operates in practice.

According to the lawsuit, Meta and its subsidiary WhatsApp do more than simply transmit encrypted messages. The complaint alleges that the company's store, analyse, and can access virtually all of WhatsApp users' purportedly "private" communications,' and that Meta may be able to view message content despite repeated assurances to the contrary.

The main part of this legal challenge is the notion that WhatsApp has portrayed itself as a platform where only the sender and recipient can read messages. The company states within its app that messages are encrypted and therefore protected from interception by third parties. Plaintiffs say this is not the full picture. They claim that WhatsApp's infrastructure allows Meta to retain and potentially access user communications in ways that contradict these privacy promises.

Moreover, Meta has responded to these allegations, dismissing the lawsuit as 'frivolous' and 'absurd'. A spokesperson said that WhatsApp uses the Signal protocol for end-to-end encryption, and emphasised that claims suggesting otherwise are categorically false. Furthermore, Meta has said it plans to seek sanctions against the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, showing the company's determination to contest the lawsuit vigorously.

The outcome of this case could have big ramifications. If the court allows it to proceed as a class action, Meta could face unprecedented liability given WhatsApp's vast global user base.

Other Controversies Facing Meta

This lawsuit is just the latest challenge to Meta's method for user data and privacy. Over the past few years, the company has faced a variety of controversies, ranging from regulatory investigations to questions about its use of AI and targeted advertising practices.

Regulators in the United Kingdom have recently launched an investigation into Meta's compliance with data requests related to WhatsApp, probing whether the company has provided complete and accurate information about its services during a market review. Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, is examining how Meta characterised its data handling.

In the European Union, regulators have designated WhatsApp's channels feature as a 'very large platform' under the Digital Services Act, which forces the company to tackle harmful and illegal content more aggressively.

Also, privacy concerns have grown as AI tools have been integrated across Meta's platforms. New updates to Meta's AI policies, especially those related to chat data use, have reportedly drawn criticism for potentially expanding how user information could be analysed and leveraged for machine learning and advertising. Critics argue that users are mostly unaware of how their interactions may feed into automated systems and business models.