Is WhatsApp really safe?

At the beginning of February, several news sites reported the possible introduction by WhatsApp of a third blue checkmark to indicate when a user takes a screenshot of a conversation. Currently, the messaging app's checkmark system follows a clear pattern: a single gray checkmark indicates that the message has been sent, two gray checkmarks confirm delivery, while two blue checkmarks certify that it has been read (unless read receipts are disabled). The hypothetical third checkmark would have been an additional feature to protect privacy. However, this is a fake news. There is no official confirmation from either WhatsApp or Meta, and, as reported by Geopop, «there is no reference to this feature [...] on information portals that closely follow the development of WhatsApp's beta version, such as the highly reliable WABetainfo.» Moreover, this fake news is not even recent: it dates back to 2021, but it has once again managed to deceive even reputable news outlets. But why did a recycled fake news story gain so much traction? One of the main reasons is the growing concern about privacy.

On the State Police website, it is stated that in 2024 «[i]n general, crimes against individuals committed through the internet are increasing. Among these, 1,500 cases of sextortion [...] and 264 cases of non-consensual distribution of intimate images or videos, primarily targeting women, have led to the prosecution of over 200 people.» More broadly, a survey conducted by NordVPN reveals that Italy ranks among the lowest in the world for cybersecurity. In particular, the most alarming data concerns privacy: «The aspect where we truly lag behind is the privacy issue. While, as we have seen, we excel at creating strong passwords, we are not as adept at keeping them safe from prying eyes and malicious individuals. Only 18% actually know how to protect their passwords. Similarly, we lack awareness of which online tools can help safeguard our privacy (19%) and how to secure our home Wi-Fi (12%). And, although more and more people are using AI for work, especially generative AI like ChatGPT, only a tiny 7% understand the privacy risks involved.» Confirming how delicate the issue of online security is, the Italian government has recently been shaken by a case that has raised serious questions. On February 6, The Guardian published an investigation revealing Italy’s involvement in the use of Graphite, a spyware developed by the Israeli company Paragon, financed by a U.S. fund.

The software, designed to prevent crime, was allegedly used to surveil journalists and activists. Following the scandal, Paragon decided to terminate its contract with the Italian government. According to The Guardian, «Paragon's decision to end the contract with Italy followed the revelation that an Italian investigative journalist and two activists critical of Italy's relations with Libya were among those allegedly targeted with the spyware.» However, Italy may not be the only country involved: the espionage operation reportedly affected «nearly 100 journalists and other civil society members using WhatsApp» across several European Union countries, including Belgium, Greece, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Germany. The illegal use of spyware was discovered by Meta in December 2024, «partly thanks to the assistance of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which tracks digital threats against civil society. It remains unclear how long individuals may have been surveilled or which government clients were involved,» reports The Guardian. Both the fake news about WhatsApp's third blue checkmark and the Paragon case demonstrate how privacy is becoming increasingly central. On one hand, the fear of increasing surveillance fuels the spread of false information, while on the other, investigations reveal that privacy violations are not just an unfounded fear but a concrete reality.