Viral message about WhatsApp surveillance debunked
An official with Meta's popular WhatsApp chat service said Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted scores of its users, including journalists and members of civil society. PHOTO: CHATGPT
A message making the rounds on social media and WhatsApp groups has set alarm bells ringing, suggesting that authorities are keeping a close watch on WhatsApp calls and groups on a massive scale – a claim the PTA has quickly shot down.
The viral post, heavy on speculation and light on evidence, claims that a new "privacy mode" has been rolled out, enabling officials to track the WhatsApp activity of every Pakistani.
The post also warns users against sharing politically or religiously sensitive content, alleging that violators could face arrest without warning.
"From midnight tonight, all groups will be placed under privacy mode as new communication rules for WhatsApp and phone calls will be enforced in Pakistan.
In the coming days, strict monitoring of groups and messages will take place," the message read.
The message contains alarming claims about extensive surveillance measures.
It claims that all phone calls will be recorded and stored, while social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and X will be closely monitored.
Moreover, it suggests that users' devices will be connected to government systems.
According to the message, discussing political or religious topics online could result in arrest without a warrant. It urges individuals to exercise caution and inform their family, friends, and acquaintances about these alleged monitoring efforts.
However, a fact-check revealed that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has categorically denied issuing any such instructions or playing any role in the monitoring of WhatsApp calls or messages.
Due to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption (E2EE), mass surveillance of private conversations is technically impossible.
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption (E2EE) technology, meaning only the sender and recipient can read messages. Even WhatsApp itself cannot access these conversations.
Digital rights expert Nighat Dad of the Digital Rights Foundation confirmed that the encryption prevents Pakistani authorities from conducting large-scale surveillance of WhatsApp communications.
While governments cannot read encrypted messages, they can collect metadata information about who you communicate with, the duration of conversations, locations (if GPS is enabled), and group participation.
However, this form of surveillance is typically targeted at specific individuals rather than the general public.
Governments can use spyware such as Pegasus or malware to monitor individuals, but these tools are not effective for large-scale surveillance.
The claim that Pakistan has enacted new laws to monitor all WhatsApp groups and calls is completely false.
However, authorities can still track metadata and conduct targeted surveillance of specific persons of interest.
Experts recommend that users protect their digital privacy by avoiding suspicious links, and unauthorised apps and sharing sensitive information online.
While mass surveillance is unlikely, targeted monitoring of individuals remains a possibility.
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