Two questions.

My family insist on using Whatsapp for the family chats. I have to keep a copy on a device just so I can communicate with them. I do so under protest, as I was always told it isn’t secure. My brother has just said

“oh Whatsapp is encrypted, it’s perfectly secure”.

First, is it actually as encrypted and safe as my brother claims? That would solve everything.

Second, if it isn’t, where can I get some proof that we should switch to Telegram or whatever? Proof which doesn’t make me look like a raving loony?

  • Otter@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    7 months ago

    My understanding is that it IS encrypted, and its supposed to use the Signal protocol (Signal developed it and released it for others to use)

    The problems are with

    • metadata (like the other comment explained)
    • closed source, so we take their word on it for how it works. It’s possible they’re being misleading or doing something shady

    See this image from a few years ago:

    Note that signal does require this, which isn’t in the chart:

    • phone number (for now)
    • last active date
    • sign up date (I think)
  • ris@feddit.de
    1·
    4 months ago

    WhatsApp gives you the option to back up all messages to Google or Apple Cloud unencrypted.