IV. Jihadis Warn About WhatsApp, Alleging Security Issues
Despite WhatsApp's widespread use by jihadis, some have issued warnings about its alleged lack of security.
The pro-ISIS Qimam Electronic Foundation warned, on February 25, 2020, against using WhatsApp, claiming that conversations on public channels on it show up in Google searches.[34]
The same day, Al-Qaeda supporters warned that WhatsApp conversations show up in Google searches.[35]
A November 26, 2019 article in the HTS-affiliated Ebaa' weekly newspaper warned against using WhatsApp and listed five alleged security vulnerabilities. The article, by the "tech team," said that these and other breaches may expose users, particularly revolutionaries and mujahideen, to surveillance by intelligence agencies, and that WhatsApp shares user data with these agencies. It recommended instead "safe and reliable" platforms, including Riot, Wire, and Signal.[36]
The pro-ISIS Electronic Horizons Foundation (EHF), which disseminates cyber security information for online supporters of ISIS, maintains a Telegram channel and also uses WhatsApp. Nevertheless, on November 17, 2019, it published a statement on Telegram warning users about WhatsApp, claiming that there is a risk of surveillance because it shows users' phone numbers. It also cautioned that WhatsApp is closed-source software, requires permissions that puts user privacy at risk, and is owned by Facebook, a company which surveils the online activity of users.[37]
