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Report: Facebook wants to analyze encrypted WhatsApp messages for ads
June 03, 2025
One of the hallmark features of the chat appWhatsAppis the fact that it has end-to-end encryption. This means only people you’ve given permission can read your messages — which does not include even WhatsApp itself. This should give you the peace of mind that you can say what you want without anyone listening in.
Related:8 new features WhatsApp should add from other messaging apps
According to the report, Facebook wants to devise a method of analyzing WhatsApp chats without actually decrypting those chats. This is called “homomorphic encryption.” Theoretically, it would allow Facebook to glean data from chats without violating any individual user’s privacy.
WhatsApp encryption: A new money-maker?
This news comes on the back of several bits of Facebook-related problems. Most recently,Facebook and Apple have been at warwhen it comes to iPhone privacy. Apple’s iOS 14 allows users to opt-out of ad tracking across all apps. This negatively impacts Facebook’s core business of delivering ads.
Earlier, we saw problems withWhatsApp forcing a new privacy policy on users. The backlash was intense and forced Facebook to delay and alter the rollout multiple times.
When you put these things together, it’s fairly obvious what the likely goal is for Facebook: to figure out new ways to monetize its vast collections of data. But with WhatsApp encryption, it can’t really do it on that particular platform. Homomorphic encryption could help solve this problem.
However, how many WhatsApp users would vacate the platform if this change happens? There was already a huge rush of users to other encrypted platforms such asTelegramandSignalafter Facebook updated the WhatsApp privacy policy. Surely, the idea of Facebook “analyzing” encrypted messages on WhatsApp would cause an even larger exodus.
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