Key Takeaways
- A class-action lawsuit alleges that WhatsApp misled users about its end-to-end encryption.
- Telegram founder Pavel Durov and Elon Musk publicly criticized WhatsApp.
- Meta has rejected the claims as “false and absurd.”
Telegram founder Pavel Durov and tech billionaire Elon Musk have spoken out against WhatsApp following a newly filed class-action lawsuit that alleges the Meta-owned messaging platform misled users about the security of their communications.
Lawsuit Raises Fresh Questions Over WhatsApp Privacy
WhatsApp is facing renewed scrutiny after a class-action lawsuit alleged that the world’s most widely used messaging service misrepresented its end-to-end encryption safeguards.
The complaint, filed by plaintiffs Brian Y. Shirazi and Nida Samson against Meta Platforms, WhatsApp, and contractors including Accenture, claims the company allowed internal staff and third parties to access private messages.
The lawsuit alleges that the access undermines WhatsApp’s long-standing assurances that only senders and recipients can read messages.
According to the filing, whistleblowers told federal investigators that Meta employees and external contractors had “broad access” to message content that was supposed to be encrypted.
The plaintiffs argue this amounts to violations of multiple privacy and data protection laws, including California privacy statutes and the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Act.
The lawsuit alleges the wrongdoing dates back as far as April 2016.
Pavel Durov and Elon Musk Amplify WhatsApp Criticism
As the allegations gained traction, Durov and Musk publicly spoke out against the Meta-owned messaging platform.
Durov wrote on X and Telegram:
“WhatsApp’s ‘encryption’ may be the biggest consumer fraud in history — deceiving billions of users.
“Despite its claims, it reads users’ messages and shares them with third parties. Telegram has never done this — and never will.”
Musk, responding to posts about the lawsuit on X, said: “Can’t trust WhatsApp,” while also promoting his platform’s messaging service, X Chat.
Meta Rejects Allegations
Meta has denied the claims made in the lawsuit, calling them “categorically false and absurd.”
In a statement, the company said WhatsApp has used end-to-end encryption based on the Signal protocol for more than a decade, ensuring that messages can only be read by the sender and recipient.
Meta added that encryption keys remain on users’ devices, making unauthorized access by the company or third parties impossible.
The company has not indicated any changes to its privacy practices and is expected to contest the allegations in court.
Durov’s Influence and Broader Free Speech Debate
Durov’s intervention carries weight given his long-standing positioning of Telegram as a privacy-first platform.
The Russian-born entrepreneur has frequently criticized rivals over data practices and has framed Telegram as resistant to government pressure and censorship.
Supporters often highlight Telegram’s features—including encrypted “secret chats” and self-destructing messages—as evidence of its stronger privacy stance.
Durov has also built a reputation for challenging regulatory demands in multiple jurisdictions.
The Telegram founder recently said attempts by Russian authorities to block Telegram had failed to significantly reduce its usage, with millions continuing to access the platform through workarounds.
“Telegram was banned in Russia — yet 65 million Russians still use it daily via VPNs, with more than 50 million sending messages every day,” he wrote on Telegram.
Iran, Russia Crackdown
Russian authorities have stepped up pressure on Telegram in recent months, arguing the platform does not fully comply with domestic regulations and is used for criminal or extremist activities.
According to CNBC, the Kremlin has also sought to promote a state-backed messaging app as an alternative, amid broader efforts to tighten control over the internet following the invasion of Ukraine.
Despite this, Telegram remains widely used across Russian public life, including by officials, businesses and volunteer groups.
Drawing comparisons with Iran, where Telegram has been officially banned since 2018, Durov said authorities there had faced similar challenges.
“Now 50 million members of the Digital Resistance in Iran are joined by 50 million-plus more in Russia,” he said, describing users bypassing restrictions as part of a broader movement.
“Thousands are building VPNs and proxies,” he added, pointing to growing efforts to maintain access despite official bans.
Durov also claimed that recent attempts by Russia to block VPN services had unintended consequences, including disruptions to payment systems.
According to Reuters, the technical issues briefly forced some consumers and businesses to rely on cash transactions.
Moscow’s metro reportedly allowed passengers through without payment, while some venues asked for cash.
Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank, acknowledged a technical problem but did not provide details. Authorities have not confirmed any direct link between the disruptions and VPN restrictions.
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Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
