Iran Tells Citizens To Delete WhatsApp (time.com)
- Reference: 0178096051
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/06/19/0711241/iran-tells-citizens-to-delete-whatsapp
- Source link: https://time.com/7295424/iran-urges-residents-delete-whatsapp-israel-privacy
The local media provided no evidence supporting these allegations but additionally encouraged residents to avoid other "location-based" apps. WhatsApp has disputed the claims, with a spokesperson [1]telling Time magazine the Meta-owned platform uses end-to-end encryption and does not track precise locations, keep messaging logs, or provide bulk information to governments.
The episode comes at a time when Iran is [2]simultaneously experiencing a "near-total national Internet blackout," according to NetBlock, an internet governance monitoring organization. The disruption follows earlier partial outages amid escalating military tensions with Israel after days of missile strikes between the countries.
Further reading , from earlier this week: [3]Iran Bans Officials From Using Internet-Connected Devices .
[1] https://time.com/7295424/iran-urges-residents-delete-whatsapp-israel-privacy/
[2] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/18/0059207/iran-is-going-offline-to-prevent-purported-israeli-cyberattacks
[3] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/17/1736207/iran-bans-officials-from-using-internet-connected-devices
Re: (Score:1)
"What's the real solution? Dissolve Islam, or, accept that heros of international freedom, like Israel, will continue to keep it in check."
LOL, that's where you lost the plot. "Heros of international freedom"? Israel? Sure, Islam is a core part of the problem, so is Zionism. And that's not all.
Re: (Score:3)
It isn't Islam that is the problem, it is the lack of critical thinking ability that prevents people from questioning a faith or religion. People with an agenda then use that unquestioning loyalty to achieve their own objectives. The fact that the world legitimises any religion is the problem, once you make allowances for a mostly 'harmless' religion, you legitimise all religion, as you are saying it is ok to believe something without any evidence. The world needs less religion and more critical thinking,
Re: (Score:1)
> heros of international freedom
Pat Buchanan would like to make a rebuttle. How about we stop trying to remake the world in our vision and let people live their lives?
I wonder about the impact of immiseration (Score:2)
Iranians, whether ordinary people or members of the regime (clerics, military, IRGC, nuclear scientists, politicians etc), are facing a very sharp reduction in the quality of their lives. Lots of new restrictions on device usage coupled with price spikes and shortages of everything. I do wonder how this will play out in the end.
Sensible (Score:3)
Iran is at war with Israel and the US. It would be very stupid to be using tools provided by its adversaries no matter what public reassurances were given. Even if Whatsapp was encrypting messages end to end, it's still potentially capable of providing IP address, location and other useful meta data to an attacker.
Re: (Score:1)
WhatsApp isn't "provided by its adversaries", but you are definitely who this propaganda speaks to.
Re: Sensible (Score:3)
I mean, MBS of Saudi did have his guys use a zero day, zero click WhatsApp exploit to hack Jeff Bezos and extort him over nude selfies. [1]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik... [wikipedia.org] The exploit probably came from NSO group, an Israeli company. So the rational fear here on Iran's part is that they have other undisclosed zero days they can deploy for complete remote ownage of phones with WhatsApp installed.
That said, for a country (Iran) boasting of its hacking prowess and with so many of their hackers on bug bounty
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bezos_phone_hacking_incident
Re: (Score:1)
Agree 100%, from Iran's standpoint this would be expected. The Snowden revelations seem to be fading out of people's memory.
> The local media provided no evidence supporting these allegations
Seems plausible though, given Google's project Nimbus, tech company board execs joining the military, Meta making military googles etc.