Israel conflict: Why did Iran urge people to remove WhatsApp from their smartphones?

Iranian state television on Tuesday urged people to delete WhatsApp from their smartphones claiming that the messaging app was gathering information to send to Israel.

 

The officials had warned the public to stop using “location-based applications” such as WhatsApp and Telegram. They alleged that the applications were Israel’s “main methods to identify and target individuals” on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Iran’s state-controlled media.

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WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, put out a statement that said that they were “concerned these false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked at a time when people need them the most.” The messaging app uses end-to-end encryption, which means that the service provider in the middle cannot read the messages. If messages are intercepted, they will only be able to see garble that cannot be deciphered without a key.

 

The statement read that the company does not track your precise location or keep logs of who everyone is messaging and that they “do not track the personal messages people are sending one another.” They also clarified that they do not provide bulk information about the users to any government.

 

NetBlocks, an internet Observatory that tracks cyber and connectivity, said that since the conflict began, internet traffic in the country had reduced significantly. Iran has been trying to reduce the public's access to the internet as the conflict with Israel is escalating.

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In 2022, the Iranian government had targeted other Meta platforms during the widespread unrest caused by the death of Mahsa Amini, a student who died while being held by the country’s morality police. The WhatsApp ban imposed during the protests was lifted last year. Despite bans, people continued to use the applications by using proxies or VPNs.

Middle East