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Messaging App WhatsApp in Standoff Over Encryption
by VOA News
Popular messaging app WhatsApp is reportedly in a battle over
encryption with the U.S. Government similar to the one involving Apple.
According to [1]The New York Times, a federal judge has approved the
monitoring of messages made via the Facebook-owned app in a criminal
investigation, but end-to-end encryption makes it difficult.
Some officials want to see the company decrypt information related to
the case, but it's unclear if that is even possible.
Apple has been asked to allow investigators access to the encrypted
iPhone that belonged to one of the San Bernardino shooters.
WhatsApp is believed to have nearly one billion monthly active users,
but the Times says WhatsApp founder, Jan Koum is strongly against
surveillance due to his background in the Soviet-controlled Ukraine.
The specifics of the case are not known, but it has been reported that
it is not terrorism-related.
Earlier this month in Brazil, [2]an executive with Facebook was jailed
over a similar dispute in which Brazilian authorities wanted access to
messages in a drug-trafficking case.
Twitter, Facebook and Google have also said they are standing by Apple
and against creating so-called back doors to their devices.
In polling, [3]Americans have been split on what Apple should do.
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[4]http://www.voanews.com/content/mht-whatsapp-in-standoff-over-encrypt
ion/3235310.html
References
1. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/03/13/us/politics/whatsapp-encryption-said-to-stymie-wiretap-order.html
2. http://fortune.com/2016/03/02/facebook-exec-jailed-in-brazil-as-court-seeks-whatsapp-data/
3. http://fortune.com/2016/02/23/apple-fbi-poll-pew/
4. http://www.voanews.com/content/mht-whatsapp-in-standoff-over-encryption/3235310.html