WhatsApp

WhatsApp

Basic information
Founded	2009
Legal Structure	Subsidiary
Industry	Social Media, Messaging
Also known as
Official website	https://www.whatsapp.com/

WhatsApp (officially WhatsApp Messenger) is an American instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by technology conglomerate Meta.

WhatsApp collects and shares information about user activity (metadata), while competing messaging services often choose to limit what metadata they collect to avoid incursions on the privacy of users.^[1]

In 2025, WhatsApp had 819 million active users per month. The combination of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, all owned by Meta, serves billions of active users.^[2]

There are several instances of data lock-in in WhatsApp. For example, if WhatsApp staff suspend an account, the user is unable to access any messages stored on their device unless they successfully appeal the suspension. This means WhatsApp staff have greater access to some of the data stored on WhatsApp users' devices than the device owners themselves do. Such practices function similarly to ransomware, a type of malware that prevents a user from accessing some or all of their data on a device until a ransom is paid.^[3][4]

Users are also unable to access their messaging history if they do not run a recent version. This means users cannot read existing messages until the update is complete. There are situations where users may not be able to update. These include being at a remote location with limited Internet access, exhausting one's mobile data plan, and using an older device for which updating is no longer possible because the latest version of WhatsApp no longer supports the device's operating system.

If a WhatsApp user has not used the service for 4 months, they must repeat the registration process before accessing their message history.^[5] In addition, changing one's phone number means losing access to all existing messages that were not backed up in advance.

WhatsApp also lets users back up their messages to their Google account, but they are stored in a format that can only be accessed within WhatsApp, not externally.^[6]

WhatsApp provides a chat export feature that lets you save the entire chat history as a text file, optionally including media attachments, into a ZIP file. However, there is no way to export all messages at once. It has to be done for every contact and every group individually. Additionally, starting with an April 2025 update, the other participant can remotely disable exporting via the "Advanced Chat Privacy" feature.

There are legitimate reasons for exporting chats, such as creating backups in a human-readable and non-proprietary format, preempting erroneous account terminations,^[7] searching with external tools, and preserving good memories with people, including those of deceased individuals.^[8]

The developers of WhatsApp had stated that blocking screenshots inside chats with "advanced chat privacy" enabled was forthcoming:

The company has stated that this is the first iteration of the feature, with plans to introduce even more robust protections in future updates, potentially including measures to block screenshots.^[9]

WhatsApp requires users to use updated versions of the app by first giving them an in-app warning if they have not updated for a while. If the user still chooses not to update, the app's usage will be disabled entirely.^{[citation needed - How long before this happens? Any screenshots?]} This can pose problems in certain cases, such as being in an area with poor or limited internet connectivity or using an older device that is no longer supported.^[10][11]

Since late 2017, WhatsApp has allowed message senders to delete messages for a limited duration after sending.^[12] This time limit was extended to slightly over an hour in 2018^[13] and two and a half days in 2022.^[14] While there is a message noting that "This message was deleted," it is not possible to see what it contained.

Additionally, since 2023, WhatsApp has allowed message senders to edit messages for up to 15 minutes after sending. When the sender edits a message, while it is noted that the message has been edited, the recipient can no longer see the original message.^[15]

In effect, this WhatsApp feature allows the sender to remotely delete or edit existing information on the recipient's device without the recipient's consent.

Main article: WhatsApp updates privacy policy and millions of users flee the platform

There was widespread backlash over an upcoming privacy policy update regarding data-sharing procedures with Facebook. It outlined how businesses that use WhatsApp for customer service may store chat logs on Facebook servers.^[16] The update sparked a broader concern, prompting millions of users to abandon the platform.^[17]

WhatsApp also introduced "view-once" messages in 2021 and disabled screen captures of them in 2022. "View-once" messages are deleted after being viewed. Also, these type of messages can be only seen on mobile versions. On desktops, for "privacy reasons", users are unable to see the "View-once" messages and are forced to use the mobile application in order to see them.^[6]

In March 2024, WhatsApp began turning off screen captures of profile pictures viewed in full-screen mode to "protect the privacy" of its users. This is made possible because mainstream mobile operating systems, Android and iOS, allow applications to disable screen capture on devices without the consent of device owners.^[18]

Profile pictures are not mandatory to use WhatsApp and are therefore images that a user has voluntarily made accessible on their profile. As such, profile pictures are not private images.

In June 2025, Meta announced that it would introduce ads globally on WhatsApp.^[19] Since the announcement, WhatsApp has slowly and silently rolled this feature, affecting users worldwide.

Previously, Meta (then known as Facebook) stated in 2014, after it acquired the application:

("[...] And you can still count on absolutely no ads interrupting your communication.").^[20]

The personalized ads also utilize data from linked accounts on other Meta platforms.^[21]

In May 2026, WhatsApp announced the implementation of advertisements in the statuses and channels. On statuses, ads appear like regular statuses between the content uploaded by regular users, lasting up to 24 hours. In channels, the ads appear as "Promoted Channels", along with regular channels.^[22]

• Signal offers most of the same features, the app is open source, relies on Privacy by Design, and is operated by a non-profit.

• Matrix is more private and uses a federated design, but setup is slightly more involved than that of a commercial messenger.
• Telegram is another open source alternative that offers an end-to-end encryption feature called secret chat, but this is not enabled by default.