Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has reignited the privacy war by accusing WhatsApp of secretly scanning users’ private messages, branding it “the biggest consumer fraud” in a fresh broadside against Meta’s encryption claims.
Durov alleges WhatsApp employs client-side scanning to detect child exploitation material and other flagged content, bypassing touted end-to-end encryption and enabling Meta to access message contents before transmission. This mirrors his past critiques, including calling believers in WhatsApp’s security “braindead” amid lawsuits questioning its privacy safeguards.
WhatsApp’s Defense
Meta insists end-to-end encryption remains intact, with keys stored solely on user devices, preventing server-side reading of chats. Critics like Durov highlight metadata collection—who messages whom—and potential backdoors via policy updates or vulnerabilities, fueling user exodus to Telegram during 2021 controversies.
Broader Tech Clash
The feud underscores competing privacy models: Telegram’s optional secret chats versus WhatsApp’s universal E2EE, now under fire for scanning features rolled out in select regions. Indian users, Telegram’s top market, face added scrutiny amid government data demands on both apps.
