Meta can read your WhatsApp chats, lawsuit claims; Elon Musk reacts: Story in 5 points

A US lawsuit claims Meta can access WhatsApp messages despite end-to-end encryption promises. Meta has denied the allegations, while Elon Musk questioned WhatsApp's security. Here is the full story in 5 points.

A fresh lawsuit filed in the US has put Meta and WhatsApp back under the privacy spotlight, raising serious questions about how secure users’ messages really are. The case, filed by an international group of plaintiffs, challenges WhatsApp’s long-standing claim that its messages are protected by end-to-end encryption and inaccessible to the company itself. As the controversy grew, Tesla and X owner Elon Musk weighed in with a sharp reaction, using the moment to promote his own messaging service. Here is the story in five key points.

The lawsuit, filed on Friday in a US District Court in San Francisco, accuses Meta Platforms and WhatsApp of misleading users about the privacy of their messages. The plaintiffs argue that despite WhatsApp promoting end-to-end encryption as a default feature, Meta allegedly stores, analyses, and can access a large portion of users’ private communications. According to the complaint, these practices directly contradict WhatsApp’s in-app message that claims only participants in a chat can read or share the content. The plaintiffs have gone as far as accusing Meta and its leadership of defrauding WhatsApp’s billions of users worldwide.

The case has been brought by a group of plaintiffs from multiple countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa. This international scope gives the lawsuit added weight, as it suggests that the alleged privacy concerns are not limited to one region or legal system. The complaint also claims that Meta employees are able to access the substance of WhatsApp communications, a charge that, if proven, could have serious implications for how encrypted messaging services are regulated and trusted globally.

The lawsuit states that “whistleblowers” played a role in bringing these alleged practices to light. However, it does not identify who these whistleblowers are or provide specific details about their disclosures. This lack of clarity may become a key issue as the case progresses, especially if the court demands stronger evidence to support the claims. For now, the mention of whistleblowers adds to the intrigue but leaves many questions unanswered.

Meta has firmly denied all allegations and dismissed the lawsuit as baseless. The company has indicated it plans to seek sanctions against the lawyers who filed the case. Responding to the claims, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said, “Any claim that people’s WhatsApp messages are not encrypted is categorically false and absurd.” He added, “WhatsApp has been end-to-end encrypted using the Signal protocol for a decade. This lawsuit is a frivolous work of fiction.” Meta has consistently maintained that it cannot read users’ messages, a stance it has repeated during previous privacy controversies. Elon Musk says WhatsApp is not secure.

As the lawsuit began drawing attention online, Elon Musk reacted by questioning the security of popular messaging platforms. In a post on X, he wrote, “WhatsApp is not secure. Even Signal is questionable. Use X Chat.” Musk’s comment quickly gained traction, adding a competitive edge to the debate around encrypted messaging.