WhatsApp boss: Tens of millions secretly use WhatsApp despite bans - BBC World Service

The BBC's #WorldServicePresents has an exclusive interview with Head of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, who reveals for the first time “tens of millions” of people are using the service in countries where the app is banned using VPN technology.
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Like many Western apps, WhatsApp is banned in Iran, North Korea and Syria. And last month China banned the app too.
Speaking to the BBC's Cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy, the WhatsApp Boss also discusses the company’s position on end-to-end encryption and the issues surrounding internet privacy.
02:35 Why is China banning WhatsApp?
07:02 Why countries ban apps
09:59 How Whatsapp proxies help "secret users"
11:46 Whatsapp Channels and disinformation
13:13 What is WhatsApp doing to help good journalism?
14:30 Importance of end-to-end encryption
Check out more videos from our science playlist here 👉🏽 • Science
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[@BBCWorldService]

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[@zealousprogrammer4539]

"We are not there to make money we want these people to have access" very kind! hahah

[@iaf010]

😂 The lie all billionaries tell peasants across time

[@duancoviero9759]

😂😂😂😂

[@digglerdudeuk]

Meta has the worst track record for selling user data of all.

[@user9b2]

What I hate about this app is that it demands access to my contacts list - it will not let me create a separate list for the app.

[@eustab.anas-mann9510]

What I hate is it collects metadata, unlike Signal.

[@misaeljoelvera6631]

WhatsApp's boss stresses on security. However, Wired posted an article in 2021 about WhatsApp sharing with Facebook user data. How about that?

[@bradfordjhart]

^comment about to be deleted from youtube do to content violation

[@vectorfox4782]

@@bradfordjhart*due. Learn English, China.

[@thereeceforbes]

Facebook owns WhatsApp tho loool same eith Instagram their owned by Facebook looool fool

[@LeeirahBrashka]

I love how he froze when the interview person mentions META's lawsuits and the guys proceeded to shit on the safety on Tiktok without mentionning whatsapp's and META's safety concerns.

[@Pkari]

The school of thought that American misbehaviour is inherently better than the misbehaviour of others, as seen in security and diplomacy practices over decades…

[@vectorfox4782]

Get banned, China

[@GA-tn3nv]

One of the best facilities from a business point of view is being able to send sensitive documents via WhatsApp.

[@ryanreedgibson]

I wouldn't trust an App that is subject US law for my E2EE.

[@inb2551]

Is he referring to the US as authoritarian, without saying it?

[@BryanGibbs-nh9uq]

If you say so bat and brainwashed

[@aloysiushettiarachchi4523]

What nonsense. All mobile phones using ARM can be spied upon by Pegasus sold by NSO, aren’t they?. Perhaps that includes yours truly’s!. The creators are paying the price right now, aren’t they?.

[@yalynsumbise72]

He is broadminded, smart and so understanding..very nice answers 👍

[@devastatn]

I just wish this guy would tell me Any news organization that's solid and gets the facts right before they go on air. The battle is first to print and that's dangerous

[@amrayabaptiste2933]

WhatsApp is the main mode of sending text messages, having group chats, sending media, making video calls, etc.

[@fazeljigry4896]

I like whats App thank you .

[@fifinoir]

In Jordan you can use WhatsApp for messaging but not for calls.

[@user-vu4pd5ci5z]

the privacy of own data is one to decide ,govt have no role to play in it. if democracy decide to ban these free communication medium ,it would be disappointment for society as whole.

[@vectorfox4782]

We are long past that, chief.

[@FerasBiyikli]

Amazing guy! Doing this for freedom is quite important

[@7_of_9]

Those who control the servers control your communication, period!

[@greenerick]

The banning of WhatsApp is a serious concern that affects people all over the world. It appears that the world is being closely monitored, and this change is significant. I appreciate you sharing this insightful video on the subject.

[@JustXavier]

My guy goo from saying he doesn’t want to tell countries how their people are getting around bans to telling countries how their people are getting around bans.

[@asadaden]

This reporter is trying very hard to put china in every question 😂😂😂

[@dakalodk]

Joe Tidy is that a real name

[@carolinewanjiku6610]

Very true, tight security is lacking. How can a single number be interchanging owners at will illegally.

[@leomn2075]

He just said “Liberal government is authoritarian” under his breath

[@ThirstysURL]

They isolate themselves from you because we win so they don't like us but we love them 😅

[@arunlingam2531]

Good 👍

[@LeeirahBrashka]

"Don't ban Whatsapp but ban Tiktok for safety!" ... What a META puppet.

[@Ausf]

He said scrutinize, not ban. Words have meaning, whether you understand them or not.

[@LeeirahBrashka]

@@Ausf so you took none phrase and ran with it... did you not watch the whole video? it's not that hard to pay attention.

[@LeeirahBrashka]

@@Ausf Whatsapp was amazing and truly encrypted until META. it's not that hard to understand.

[@Ausf]

@@LeeirahBrashka They didn't say not to ban WA, nor did they say to ban TT. WA is banned in some countries, but is still used there. Anyway, no one will read this, so who cares, right? Have fun with your rant.

[@LeeirahBrashka]

@@Ausfwell of course I will have fun, this is the internet.

[@salforch]

This questioner is a disappointment...

[@ramdaskhare5141]

I like the news

[@ABAHOREGALY]

Your prof

[@JavenarchX]

Lets talk about how cluttered and shiyt the UI is getting?

[@rosesalim406]

I like WhatsApp ❤❤❤ more privacy for my introvert personality. M scared going on social media where many ppl i see😅

[@QueenkittyNi]

I know a person who has had almost 100 accounts on Google

[@Sensitive_info]

Is it illegal?

[@vectorfox4782]

China sucks

[@inb2551]

What the freak is Democracy? I’m confused….

[@ryanreedgibson]

It's not a government for lazy people. Since January 20, 1953, neocons have been chewing away the "people" aspect of our democracy and now it's all about "Corporations".

[@budgetarms]

I like

[@sonamgolden3]

👏

[@AriVovp]

How do you made money? By mining user chat data

[@niningsetia4213]

😂😂😂😂i saw u cried to father to build ur plastic storage on ur own bed, Cover me by ur face is Rude The CHURCH on to me for those appraisal U appealing thrm by ur ears on ur WhatsApp which somebody reading in class Savage

[@TechBlondie]

I know for sure that any iPhone I buy from now will be an EU iphone, I don’t know about you, or anybody in China. And for those who might be wondering: it’s called SIDELOADING 🤓

[@itSoundsWELL]

.

[@ryanhotrod5416]

Every communist leader nightmare is a green 💚 logo app. Whatsup commies 😅

[@asadaden]

This reporter is trying very hard to put china in every question 😂😂😂