WhatsApp to follow Apple to court in encryption case

While Apple struggles to hold its ground on the iPhone encryption case, reports suggest that the The Justice Department of US is getting ready to point its cosshairs on the next target -- WhatsApp.

As recently as this past week, officials said, the Justice Department was discussing how to proceed in a continuing criminal investigation in which a federal judge had approved a wiretap, but investigators were stymied by WhatsApp’s encryption (Pixabay)

While Apple struggles to hold its ground on the iPhone encryption case, reports suggest that the The Justice Department of US is getting ready to point its crosshairs on the next target -- WhatsApp.

According to NYT, "As recently as this past week, officials said, the Justice Department (DOJ) was discussing how to proceed in a continuing criminal investigation in which a federal judge had approved a wiretap, but investigators were stymied by WhatsApp's encryption."

While WhatsApp may not be the most secure medium of communication, it undoubtedly is the most common messaging app across the globe. If you're still trying to wrap your head around why encryption is such a big deal, here is an explainer:

WhatsApp however says that, " WhatsApp communication between your phone and our server is encrypted. Even though data sent through our app is encrypted, please remember that if your phone or your friend's phone is being used by someone else, it may be possible for them to read your WhatsApp messages. Please be aware of who has physical access to your phone."

If the Justice Department has it their way, this statement is sure to get some tweaks considering their vendetta against encryption. However, with the companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter backing encryption, your privacy on the web may still have a fighting chance.