Mehul DasJune 03, 2022 14:03:42 IST
Apple claims that they have the most secure ecosystem, and with the iPhone, users are in complete control of their privacy and data. While many people actually buy Apple’s claimand there is Cases where Apple’s words Proved to be true, security experts around the world believe that users need to be proactive about their privacy, no matter what device or smartphone they use.
Apple security expert and CEO of Spylix, Steven Walker has said in an interview, despite Apple’s claims, people should be especially careful with one app and never install it on their iPhones. That app is Facebook Messenger.
Spylix is a phone tracking app used by government agencies around the world. Walker believes that just because an app is extremely popular, doesn’t mean it’s safe to use. He also says that because of the popularity of Facebook Messenger, people often do not think that it is a problematic application.
Walker believes the main reason Facebook Messenger compromises user privacy and data is twofold. First, it’s owned by Meta, formerly owned by Facebook, a company that doesn’t have a clean track record of using users’ data on its platform. Secondly, and the reason it’s more pertinent to Walker, is the fact that Facebook Messenger doesn’t have end-to-end encryption.
Walker believes that there are many other instant messaging options that users can use. WhatsApp, even though owned by Facebook, is still far more secure than Facebook Messenger. WhatsApp has about 2 billion active users worldwide, which is almost twice that of Facebook Messenger.
Then there are apps like Telegram and Signal. Although they are not nearly as popular as WhatsApp, both have been developed with security and privacy in mind. Apps like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram offer end-to-end encryption, which is fast becoming an important feature in instant messaging apps.
Meta has claimed that they are working on end-to-end encryption, but they have gone back on their deadline several times. Initially, Facebook Messenger was supposed to get end-to-end encryption by 2022 at the latest. Now, Facebook has extended the deadline to 2023. The folks at Meta say they are concerned about bad actors abusing end-to-end encryption, and so they want to take their time fixing the system. If this was indeed the case, one cannot help but wonder how it is that such concerns are not an issue for WhatsApp.
