Weekly News 16



Whatsapp: inside the secret world of group chat

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/nov/12/whatsapp-inside-secret-world-of-group-chat-politics-sexual-harassment

Picture of the whatsapp logo and screee


Key data/ Statistical Info

  • Shortly after June’s general election, Tory MPs used WhatsApp groups to canvass backbench opinion about Theresa May’s prospects –
  • They’ve played a pivotal part in exposing sexual harassment in both politics and journalism, with victims swapping names via a “whisper network” of like-minded WhatsAppers. 
  •  the app’s system of secure end-to-end encryption – which means that nobody outside the group can intercept the messages – also attracts those with more sinister intent.
  • The home secretary Amber Rudd suggested earlier this year that it was one of several potential hiding places for those plotting terrorist atrocities – Isis recruiters have been known to use it and Khalid Masood sent a message on the service shortly before killing six people by driving his car into a crowd of pedestrians on Westminster Bridgeearlier this year. 
Whatsapps secure end to end encryption feature, ensures us that our messages are not accessible to any unknown users (inc. hackers). In this story, it is claimed that politicians used the app to discuss various issues e.g sexual harassment. The article also mentions that they have had been used to "expose sexual harassment in both politics ad journalism". However the misuse of these apps has also been an issue- the article also mentions how the app has been used by terrorist organisations its members. This communication therefore is hard to access when in need of information on possible terrorist attacks, due to the security features. The debate therefore is whether we should scrap security features such as the whats app end to end encryption feature, for the safety of those who may be involved in an attack such as the one at Westminster Bridge earlier this year. 

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