WhatsApp achieves 2 billion global users
Feb 12, 2020 | AS Team
The messaging service that has planted its name on everyone’s lips Facebook’s WhatsApp is now proudly hosting over 2 billion users globally. Started in 2009, the company honoured it’s 10 year anniversary last year.
“The more we connect, the more we have to protect. As we conduct more of our lives online, protecting our conversations is more important than ever.”
Thanking it’s users for the 10 years while also announcing it’s 2 billion users, the company shared a blog post on 12th February where it has confirmed to continue focusing on its privacy feature and end-to-end encryption.
“Strong encryption acts like an unbreakable digital lock that keeps the information you send over WhatsApp secure, helping protect you from hackers and criminals. Messages are only kept on your phone, and no one in between can read your messages or listen to your calls, not even us. Your private conversations stay between you.” the blog post states.
The firm has also promised to coordinate with security experts and engage with industry-leading technology to curb misuse as well as administer controls and enhance ways for reporting issues while at the same not compromising on the privacy it provides to its users.
WhatsApp’s end to end encryption policy has increasingly brought it under the scrutiny of the authorities and the public. Recently as per a source by Bitcoin, various American politicians have been attempting to put a ban on end-to-end encryption on all communication platforms for everyone claiming it to be a step towards putting a stop to child pornography.
This proposed legislation could have implications on various tech giants like Facebook, Google and Apple along with WhatsApp compelling them to create backdoors on their services in order to allow law enforcement companies access for monitoring everything they require a failure to do which could lead them facing prosecution for indirectly prompting child abuse.
It remains to be seen how WhatsApp deals with the escalating pressure from the government and what changes it brings to its platform in light of the changing circumstances.
