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A recent independent study by Incogni evaluated the privacy practices of major messaging apps, ranking platforms such as Discord, Telegram, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp based on 18 privacy criteria. The study highlighted that while Discord scored highest for privacy overall, the rankings can shift depending on which criteria are prioritized, and users are cautioned not to make decisions based solely on aggregate scores. The analysis emphasized the importance of understanding how messaging apps handle user data, respond to law enforcement requests, and protect against social engineering attacks.
In parallel, Meta has introduced new anti-scam features for WhatsApp and Messenger to bolster user security. These updates include advanced scam-detection tools in Messenger that warn users about suspicious chats and allow for AI-based scam reviews, as well as new warnings in WhatsApp to prevent users from sharing their screens with untrusted contacts. Additional features notify users when they are contacted by unknown individuals or added to group chats by strangers, providing context and safety tips to help users avoid scams. These developments reflect a broader industry trend toward improving both privacy and security in messaging platforms.
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Kaspersky released its 2025 assessment of messaging app privacy, ranking major messenger platforms based on privacy-related criteria.
Meta announced new anti-scam protections for WhatsApp and Messenger aimed at helping users detect or avoid fraudulent activity on its messaging platforms.
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**Meta** introduced new anti-scam protections across *WhatsApp*, *Facebook*, and *Messenger* to counter fraud campaigns that rely on social engineering, impersonation, and malicious links. The updates include WhatsApp warnings when device-linking requests show scam-related behavioral signals, such as attempts to trick users into sharing linking codes or QR codes, and Facebook alerts for suspicious friend requests from accounts with indicators like recent creation or no mutual connections. Messenger is also adding AI-driven scam detection to identify patterns associated with impersonation and spoofed links in chats. The changes are part of a broader anti-fraud push in which Meta said it worked with international law enforcement to disable more than **150,000 scam-linked accounts** and support the arrest of **21 individuals**. A separate report on a new cross-industry anti-scam accord involving Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, OpenAI, and others describes a wider effort to share threat intelligence, improve fraud reporting, strengthen transaction verification, and coordinate defenses against scam operations that move across multiple online platforms. A report on **Operation Atlantic** focuses instead on cryptocurrency approval-phishing enforcement by U.S., U.K., and Canadian authorities and is a different story from Meta's platform-specific product rollout.
Jun 29, 2026
WhatsApp has begun a limited beta rollout of **Scam Alert**, an optional feature that uses on-device machine learning to flag likely scam messages from non-contacts while preserving end-to-end encryption. Users can decide whether to block, report, continue, or trust a flagged conversation, and can review Scam Alert activity in the app. WhatsApp said message content does not leave the device for classification, and the company has expanded its bug bounty program to cover the new feature, including its model weights and analytics pipeline. To reduce privacy risks and targeted manipulation, WhatsApp said it verifies model releases through a transparency process that publishes each version’s `SHA-256` hash to a third-party append-only ledger before deployment, while model downloads are routed through OHTTP relays with anonymous credentials. The company also said it measures effectiveness through a confidential federated analytics pipeline using Trusted Execution Environments, anonymous aggregation, and differential privacy, and may let users optionally share the last five messages from trusted chats to improve model accuracy. The rollout comes as Signal has also introduced automatic key verification based on key transparency logs and independent auditing to detect unauthorized public key changes in encrypted conversations.
Aug 19, 2026
Cybercriminals have increasingly weaponized common applications such as email, messaging platforms, and social media to conduct sophisticated phishing scams targeting users worldwide. Attackers frequently use seemingly innocuous PDF attachments in emails, which are crafted to appear as official documents from trusted brands like Microsoft, DocuSign, or PayPal. These emails often employ urgent subject lines to create a sense of immediacy, prompting recipients to open the attachments. The PDFs themselves are professionally styled and contain official logos, further enhancing their credibility. Victims are typically instructed to call a customer service number, where they are met by impersonators who attempt to extract sensitive information or trick them into installing malware. In addition to email-based attacks, cybercriminals are leveraging vishing techniques, using phone calls—including those made via messaging apps like WhatsApp—to deceive users into revealing confidential data. These calls often originate from foreign numbers and use automated voices to increase the likelihood of success. Recognizing the growing threat, Meta has introduced new security tools for WhatsApp and Messenger to help users identify and avoid scams. On WhatsApp, users now receive warnings when attempting to share their screen with unknown contacts during video calls, reducing the risk of inadvertently disclosing sensitive information. Messenger users can enable a 'Scam detection' feature, which alerts them to suspicious messages from unknown senders and offers the option to submit messages for AI review. If a scam is detected, users are provided with educational information about common scam tactics and options to block or report the sender. Meta has also taken significant action against scam operations, removing over 21,000 Facebook Pages and accounts impersonating customer support representatives. Furthermore, the company has disrupted nearly 8 million accounts linked to criminal scam centers operating from countries such as Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the UAE, and the Philippines. These scam centers target individuals globally through various platforms, including messaging, dating apps, and cryptocurrency services. The scams often involve romance baiting and fraudulent job offers, exploiting users' trust and financial vulnerability. Meta's efforts underscore the scale and sophistication of modern phishing campaigns and the necessity for ongoing vigilance and technological defenses. Users are advised to remain cautious when interacting with unsolicited communications, especially those requesting sensitive information or urgent action. The combination of technical countermeasures and user education is critical in mitigating the risks posed by these evolving phishing threats. Organizations and individuals alike must stay informed about the latest tactics used by cybercriminals and adopt best practices to safeguard their information. The ongoing battle between attackers and defenders highlights the dynamic nature of the cybersecurity landscape and the importance of proactive security measures.
Jun 29, 2026