Finance · South Africa
WhatsApp Privacy Lawsuit in South Africa Claims Meta Accesses Chats
Moneyweb · 2026/01/26
Summary
A new lawsuit has been filed in South Africa claiming that Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, can see and access users' private chat messages. The group behind the lawsuit alleges that Meta doesn’t just store chats, but also analyses and has access to nearly all communication happening on WhatsApp. This raises concerns about privacy and security for South African users who trust the platform to keep their conversations private. WhatsApp is a popular messaging app used by millions in South Africa, and if these allegations are true, it could mean personal and sensitive information is not as secure as many believe. The case highlights growing worries worldwide about how much control big companies have over private data and how it is used or potentially misused.
OnABudget takeaway: For everyday South Africans, this means being extra careful about what you share on WhatsApp and other online platforms. For investors and small business owners using WhatsApp for communication, it's important to consider safer alternatives or enhanced security measures to protect valuable data.