WhatsApp’s Encryption Promises Challenged in U.S. Suit as Russia Warns of Phishing Wave

Overview

• An international group of plaintiffs filed a case in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco accusing Meta of misleading WhatsApp users about privacy.
• The lawsuit alleges WhatsApp stores message content and that company employees can access chats, contradicting end‑to‑end encryption assurances.
• Meta dismissed the accusations as an “empty fantasy” and indicated it would pursue steps against the plaintiffs.
• St. Petersburg police reported thousands of January attempts to lure users into installing fake “updated” or “working” WhatsApp apps that lead to malware, urging downloads only from official stores and cautioning against sharing SMS codes or bank details.
• Russian officials reiterated possible service restrictions after a prior Roskomnadzor warning, a Public Chamber member praised limits as preventive, and Telegram founder Pavel Durov labeled WhatsApp unsafe.