WhatsApp has announced plans to introduce end-to-end encryption for its users, making it one of the most secure messaging services for mobile.
In a world rife with spying, hacks and electronic eavesdropping (or so we’re led to believe), tech companies have had to step up their game in order to gain public trust. Facebook-owned WhatsApp is looking to get ahead when it comes to security by introducing end-to-end encryption as standard, in order to protect its users from data thieves and unlawful surveillance.
This encryption will only be available on Android initially and will only cover text-based conversations taking place between Android users, not pictures or group chats. It’s a start though, and one which will likely be appreciated by the masses, who are becoming increasingly tired of their privacy being forfeit.
WhatsApp has chosen Whisper Systems to provide the necessary boost in security for its messaging platform, and speaking via a recent blog post, the company claims that the decision represents the “largest deployment of end-to-end encrypted communication in history”. WhatsApp has also underlined its desire to bring encryption to other platforms in the future – so there’s a glimmer of hope for iOS users too.
While other big companies claim to be taking people’s privacy seriously, they don’t seem to be doing anything to show it. Last month’s fairly extensive Snapchat hack illustrated just how vulnerable many of these services are, all the more worrying now that you can use Snapchat to throw cash at your mates.
Here’s hoping that the irony of being shown up in the privacy stakes by the likes of Facebook will shame other companies into following suit.
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