WhatsApp Is Working on Indicators for End-to-End Encryption on Calls, Status
WhatsApp is developing two new visual indicators to inform users about the use of end-to-end encryption in various parts of the messaging app.
On the iOS version of WhatsApp, the features were discovered on the app’s Call and Status screen.
Users are informed on the calling screen that their personal calls are protected by end-to-end encryption, and on the status screen, a message indicates that a user’s status is end-to-end encrypted.
WhatsApp features tracker WABetaInfo discovered the new visual indicators on the iOS version of WhatsApp. The feature is said to be in the works, which means that users will not be able to see it for the time being. On the Calls screen, under the call list, screenshots of the new indicators show the words “Your personal calls are end-to-end encrypted.” In the screenshots provided by WABetaInfo, the Status screen displays the words “Your status is end-to-end encrypted.”
WhatsApp employs the same encryption protocol as Signal, which is widely regarded as the gold standard in secure mobile messaging apps today. In 2016, the company enabled always-on end-to-end encryption for all chats for its one billion users.
End-to-end encryption is intended to protect communication by limiting access to the content to the sender and recipient. Unlike Signal, however, metadata (or information about your messages) is not encrypted end-to-end and is shared with parent company Meta.
It’s worth noting that WhatsApp has already aired a series of TV and social media advertisements touting the app’s end-to-end encryption for messages and attachments, as well as the view-once feature. When starting a new conversation, WhatsApp also informs users that their chats are protected by end-to-end encryption.
The new indicators appear to be intended to inform users that Status and Calls are also protected by the same technology, and they should be rolled out to beta and stable versions of the app in the future.
