On Tuesday, Iranian state television called on citizens to uninstall WhatsApp from their smartphones, claiming—without providing any evidence—that the messaging platform shares user information with Israel. This announcement marks the latest in a series of government actions targeting foreign technology and apps that are widely used in the country. The broadcast suggested that WhatsApp posed a national security threat, though it did not elaborate on how or why.
WhatsApp Defends Encryption as Experts Highlight Metadata and Privacy Vulnerabilities Concerns
WhatsApp promptly responded to the claims, labeling them as “false reports” and expressing concern that they could be used as a pretext to block the service at a time when access to communication tools is critical.
The company emphasized its use of end-to-end encryption, which ensures that messages are only readable by the sender and the recipient, even to WhatsApp itself. The platform also reiterated that it does not log precise user locations, store logs of messaging activity, or supply data in bulk to any government.
Iran Urges Citizens to Delete WhatsApp, Alleges Israeli Ties as Privacy Fears ResurfaceDespite WhatsApp’s reassurances about encryption, experts note potential vulnerabilities. Gregory Falco, a cybersecurity expert and assistant professor at Cornell University, pointed out that although messages are encrypted, metadata—which includes information like message timing and frequency—can still be analyzed. This metadata can potentially reveal user behavior patterns, which has long been a concern for privacy advocates and critics of the app.
Countries Push for Localized Data Storage Amid Rising Trust Issues in Infrastructure
Falco also raised the issue of data sovereignty, a growing concern for many nations. He explained that data from a specific country is not always stored within that country’s borders. In the case of Iran, it is likely that WhatsApp data is processed in foreign data centers, raising questions about control and trust in global data infrastructure. According to Falco, countries are increasingly seeking to localize data storage and processing to mitigate potential external risks.
Iran’s government has a history of restricting access to social media and messaging apps, especially during times of political unrest. Although WhatsApp and Google Play were banned during the 2022 protests, the bans were lifted in late 2023. Despite these restrictions, many Iranians continue to access such platforms using VPNs. WhatsApp remains one of the most widely used apps in the country, alongside Instagram and Telegram, making this latest warning potentially impactful for millions of users.