WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted is a lie, claims a new report

WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, even when you use a multi-device. It has been something that has been repeated again and again. This is also something that we tech reporters have said time and again. However, a new report now claims that WhatsApp messages are not end-to-end encrypted, and on top of that, it adds that Facebook views the content of messages on the platform.

The explosive claim has been made by ProPublica, which in a lengthy piece talks about how Facebook has been heavily marketing end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp since 2016, the year when the end-to-end encryption came into effect.

ProPublica report claims are based on observations of 1,000 contract workers of WhatsApp that it claims examine millions of user content. It adds that these workers have access to special Facebook software to check private WhatsApp messages, images, and videos. However, the report cites the messages that a user has reported. "These contractors pass judgment on whatever flashes on their screen — claims of everything from fraud or spam to child porn and potential terrorist plotting — typically in less than a minute," the report adds.

At this point, it is slightly clear that the new ProPublica report is talking about the conversation that either party has flagged if it's a one-on-one WhatsApp chat. However, the lengthy piece misses highlighting that WhatsApp only forwards the last five messages to its people. This means the content moderators of WhatsApp do not get access to the entire chat history.

The report says these workers are based in Austin, Dublin, Singapore, and Texas and are tasked to examine the reported chats.

WABetainfo, in a tweet, has shared a screenshot showing what exactly happens when someone reports a conversation. The screenshot shared shows an old pop-up for version 2.21.18.9 that reads, "The most recent messages from this contact will be forwarded to WhatsApp. This contact will not be notified.

The ProPublica report also mentions an internal marketing presentation from last year that emphasized the fierce promotion of WhatsApp's privacy narrative. In addition, the report claims that the company compares its brand character to the Immigrant Mother.

It adds that Carl Woog, WhatsApp's communications director, acknowledged that teams of contractors in Austin and elsewhere review WhatsApp messages to identify and remove "the worst" abusers.

The report also claims that being a content moderator for WhatsApp is almost the same as being a moderator for siblings, Facebook or Instagram.

At one point, the report notes, "Because WhatsApp's content is encrypted, artificial intelligence systems can't automatically scan all chats, images and videos, as they do on Facebook and Instagram. Instead, WhatsApp reviewers gain access to private content when users hit the "report" button on the app, identifying a message as allegedly violating the platform's terms of service."

WhatsApp faced backlash earlier this year when it announced an all-new privacy policy that made sharing data between Facebook and WhatsApp easy. However, this sharing was limited to business chats, as pointed out by Facebook multiple times over months.

Facebook shared a written response to the ProPublica report. It said, "We build WhatsApp in a manner that limits the data we collect while providing us tools to prevent spam, investigate threats, and ban those engaged in abuse, including based on user reports we receive. This work takes extraordinary effort from security experts and a valued trust and safety team that works tirelessly to help provide the world with private communication.

Further, the company said, "Based on the feedback we've received from users, we're confident people understand when they make reports to WhatsApp, we receive the content they send us."