A chain message is doing the rounds on WhatsApp
Another chain message is doing the rounds in WhatsApp chats. The message claims that Meta AI, the artificial intelligence system of WhatsApp’s parent company, is gaining access to your messages: both in group chats and private conversations. But the message is not true. However, there is something else going on.
If you have received the message, you need not worry that WhatsApp’s AI chatbot will suddenly start reading all your conversations. Meta AI has been available in the Netherlands for some time now, and there are currently no changes to the way the feature works. WhatsApp emphasises that regular private conversations and group chats remain end-to-end encrypted. This means that only the participants in a conversation can read the content. Meta AI does not automatically gain access to messages.
Questions about privacy
That only changes when you or another participant deliberately uses the chatbot. For example, by tagging Meta AI in a group chat, asking a question or sharing an image. At that point, according to Meta, the AI receives the information needed to provide an answer. This is precisely where the debate arises. Meta states that the chatbot gains access to “relevant messages”, but does not make clear how much context is used for this purpose. It is therefore unclear exactly how many messages the AI can view in order to formulate an appropriate response.
The chain message also refers to the ‘Advanced privacy’ feature. This does indeed exist, but works differently from what is claimed. Among other things, this setting allows you to prevent group members from using Meta AI within a chat. In addition, automatic downloads of photos and videos are restricted, and certain AI features within the chat can be disabled. The feature is therefore primarily intended to give users more control over what is possible within a group, not to prevent a sudden change in policy.
In summary, this is the case: the claim that Meta AI can now automatically read all WhatsApp conversations is incorrect. At the same time, there remains some uncertainty about exactly how much context the chatbot uses when you actively enable it. Anyone wanting extra control can use the existing privacy settings within WhatsApp. Incidentally, a similar rumour was also circulating last year.
Via VRT
