In a move that is sure to annoy the FBI, Facebook owned Whatsapp via a update to their apps now do end to end encryption. This means that not only is WhatsApp unable to access the data generated by its users, but nobody else can either. Here’s what a blog entry on the topic said:
The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp private – sort of like a face-to-face conversation.
If you’re interested in learning more about how end-to-end encryption works, you can read about it here. But all you need to know is that end-to-end encrypted messages can only be read by the recipients you intend. And if you’re using the latest version of WhatsApp, you don’t have to do a thing to encrypt your messages: end-to-end encryption is on by default and all the time.
It’s a safe bet that with this move some government (likely the US one) is going to go to Facebook to get some info and there is going to be an Apple vs. FBI type fight. I’m calling it now.