Will Meta continue to keep WhatsApp messages private even as pressure ramps up? Recently, the Indian government has threatened to crack down on one of WhatsApp’s core values - user privacy - with regulators demanding a way for authorities to access people’s messages when needed. That problem is especially acute in India, where baseless rumors spread on the app have led to grave consequences. But unlike Facebook, WhatsApp uses private, encrypted communication software that makes it harder for the company to moderate content. Today, even though it doesn’t contribute much to Meta’s bottom line, WhatsApp is arguably the company’s most essential international product.Īt the same time, WhatsApp has struggled with some of the same misinformation problems that have plagued Facebook. When Meta bought WhatsApp eight years ago in a record $19 billion cash and stock deal, it was considered a risky bet. WhatsApp’s simple design helped make it a hit internationally, especially in countries where most people don’t have iPhones to use iMessage, or affordable cellphone plans to send SMS messages. And it’s not just businesses: Roughly 400 million people in India use WhatsApp to keep in touch with relatives overseas, send money, access critical medical information, and more. Khera is one of millions of Indians who run businesses mainly through WhatsApp. “WhatsApp in India is a way of life,” said Rajeev Khera, founder of food tech business Chakki Peesing, which operates outside of New Delhi. If you live in the US, chances are you’ve at least heard of WhatsApp, the messaging app that Meta acquired in 2014.īut if you live in other parts of the world, like India, the service is more than just an app for communicating with friends and family.
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