WhatsApp rolls out full encryption to a billion messenger users

[TheIrishman]

WhatsApp rolls out full encryption to a billion messenger users

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/05/whatsapp-rolls-out-full-encryption-to-a-billion-messenger-users

<< WhatsApp is updating its messenger app so that every text and voice call on one of the world’s most popular apps will be protected with strong encryption – potentially putting millions more conversations outside the purview of authorities. The development at the messenger company, which is owned by Facebook, is striking given Silicon Valley's recent staredown with authorities over user data privacy.

The FBI dropped a court battle with Apple over its iPhone encryption, and Brazilian police recently arrested a Facebook executive because WhatsApp couldn't provide messages sent by a criminal suspect. None of that appears to have deterred WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, who grew up in Soviet-era Ukraine amid surveillance fears and has said that he often heard his mother say things like, "This isn't a telephone conversation".

"The desire to protect people's private communication is one of the core beliefs we have at WhatsApp, and for me, it’s personal", Koum wrote in a blog post published Tuesday. "I grew up in the USSR during communist rule and the fact that people couldn't speak freely is one of the reasons my family moved to the United States".

The Guardian reported on WhatsApp's plans in March. All of WhatsApp’s 1 billion users, when running the latest version of the app on iPhone, a Google Android device, Nokia or Blackberry, will send and receive messages, attachments and voice calls that engineers say can only be deciphered by the intended recipient, said Moxie Marlinspike, an encrypted messaging developer at Open Whisper Systems, whose technology forms the backbone of WhatsApp's encryption.

This means WhatsApp shouldn't be able to facilitate a wiretap of the contents of users' messages, even if faced with a court order. It's unclear if the company will be able to help authorities intercept data on when they use WhatsApp or with whom they communicate. Additionally, WhatsApp will take the unusual step for a consumer app of notifying users if messages are encrypted, Marlinspike said. >>

Source: The Guardian

[Slowturtleinc]

Whatsapp is targetting teens and under 25 mostly in their demographic group,right?
Since this is a off shoot of facebook I tend to not believe to much of the encryption protection features because Zuckerberg(Sp?)
has shown he is all for breaking privacy rules in the past. So I would still be cautious of sending dick picks,just saying!

[SebastianJu]

So obvious that whatsapp is only coming up with encryption because other really encrypted app provide better security.

I would not trust them. Knowing that all the pictures sent are stored on their servers. Surely that won't change.

[Slowturtleinc]

Am I correct in thinking that the encryption angle being run is also a ploy to the cool kids to keep the parents out of their hair? Its interesting to be encouraging kids the main target here to be secretive when the actual truth will be everything they exchange is recorded by WhatsApp.

Presuming its mostly kids and wannabe hip mothers using this that wear their daughters clothes.

[Hirose UK]

am I the only one thinking it's a good news?
our privacy chatting will be safe. so no one can get the chatting (when we talk about our problem to our best friend or family)

but the concern is the chatting of villains. perhaps they use this app to talk their plan to do terrorism or kind of thing.

[vero]

so what a problem if you have nothing to hide photos, video, other messages why must to worry

[Slowturtleinc]

so what a problem if you have nothing to hide photos, video, other messages why must to worry

Because sometimes google translate does not work that great and people may get the wrong idea and think you are into anal bleaching when you where just wishing a friend happy birthday!

The issue for me now is how can you trust any of these encryptions,thought I read a year ago to do business in the States you have to have a back door.
Now they flip it like thats not the case at all,leaves you wondering what kind of mind jedi games are they trying to pull!

[Gronthaing]

so what a problem if you have nothing to hide photos, video, other messages why must to worry

Problem is you aren't the one deciding if those photos or videos are breaking the law or something. And if they are when they can be used against you. Tomorrow or decades from now. Another problem is who has access to them. Won't just be the company or the state. Hackers will eventually. Other countries will. Stalkers will. How many cases have there been of people working with that information using it to stalk or abuse others? Usually targeting women. And not the least of it, people need privacy.

[Indianacoin]

It is certainty not a full encryption. If so then how do they store your pics and videos in their server without anyone ever noticing its existence.

I think that feature is just added as a consolation to the concerned public who were somewhat worried about the encryption.