Meta exec denies having access to WhatsApp chats amid privacy lawsuit

An executive at Meta has denied accusations that it can access WhatsApp chats after plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Meta on Friday, maintaining that the messaging app’s end-to-end encryption feature keeps messages secure as promised.

In an X post on Monday, Meta communications director Andy Stone said: “Any claim that people's WhatsApp messages are not encrypted is categorically false and absurd,” while referring to the lawsuit as a “frivolous work of fiction.”

The lawsuit was filed in a US district court in San Francisco, California, on Friday by a group of WhatsApp users based in countries such as Australia, Mexico, South Africa and India.

The plaintiffs called Meta’s end-to-end encryption feature a sham and are seeking damages from the social media giant.

The lawsuit aims to “expose the fundamental privacy violations and fraud” that Meta is allegedly perpetrating on its users who use the messaging app on the belief that their communications are completely private.

Pavel Durov, the CEO of WhatsApp rival Telegram, threw support behind the suit, stating: “You’d have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure in 2026. When we analyzed how WhatsApp implemented its ‘encryption’, we found multiple attack vectors.” 

While Meta hasn’t issued a public statement, Meta states in its end-to-end encryption explainer page that the “End-to-end encryption helps protect your privacy by ensuring no one sees your messages except you.”

Privacy has become a growing concern for users on centralized messaging platforms, with many seeking greater control over their personal data online.

Bitchat emerges as a decentralized alternative

The lawsuit against Meta follows the rising adoption of decentralized, encrypted messaging apps like Bitchat in areas of conflict and disaster, which leverages Bluetooth mesh networks for internet-free, private communication.

The Jack Dorsey-launched app has seen an explosion in downloads in Uganda, Iran, Nepal, Indonesia, Jamaica, and other countries lately — whether in response to those governments restricting social media access or to maintain communication when natural disasters strike.

Other decentralized messengers that feature end-to-end encryption include Session and X-Messenger.