WhatsApp Calls For Probe Over Alleged Privacy Breach; Elon Musk Responds, 'Cannot Be Trusted'

With recent complaints regarding WhatsApp, one thing is clear that several users have been facing either alleged scam or privacy issues with the app. In a latest update, a Twitter engineer has raised concerns over WhatsApp’s access and usage of device’s microphone, making alleged ‘privacy breach’ a topic of discussion. 

The Twitter engineer Foad Dabiri has claimed that his WhatsApp was constantly using the microphone, even while he was asleep. By sharing that, the engineer was alleging that WhatsApp was accessing and using microphone even when the app was not actively in use. 

In the viral tweet, the Twitter engineer said, “WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6AM (and that's just a part of the timeline!) What's going on?”

While the viral Tweet has raised concerns, it has also garnered responses from WhatsApp itself and even Twitter’s top boss Elon Musk.

Reacting to Dabiri’s allegations related to privacy breach by WhatsApp, Elon Musk said, “WhatsApp cannot be trusted.”

However, WhatsApp has dismissed all such claims and replied to the Twitter engineer’s allegations. The social media giant said that the issue raised by the engineer is a bug on Android. Hence, it has asked Google to investigate and correct the same.

“Over the last 24 hours we’ve been in touch with a Twitter engineer who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp. We believe this is a bug on Android that mis-attributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate,” said WhatsApp via an official tweet. 

Clarifying about the mic settings, WhatsApp also added, “Users have full control over their mic settings. Once granted permission, WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video - and even then, these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them.”