Russia is restricting calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing concerns over their use for sabotage and terrorism, as part of a broader effort to tighten control over internet use and demand data sharing from foreign tech companies.
Following warnings from the FBI and CISA about a Chinese hacking campaign called Salt Typhoon, Americans are advised to switch to encrypted messaging apps to protect their communications. End-to-end encryption ensures that only the communicating users can read the messages, enhancing privacy and security. With no clear timeline for when networks will be secure again, adopting encrypted apps and following best practices is recommended to safeguard personal information.
The takedown of EncroChat, an encrypted messaging platform used by organized crime groups, has led to the arrests of 6,558 suspects worldwide, including 197 high-value targets, and the seizure of €900 million in illicit criminal proceeds. The platform was infiltrated by French and Dutch law enforcement in early 2020, offering valuable insight into the groups and their modus operandi. The illegal use of encrypted communications has since led to the dismantling of another service called Sky ECC in March 2021.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced the release of an early version of encrypted direct messages, signaling his intention to maximize the privacy of personal communications. Musk also criticized Meta's encrypted messaging service, WhatsApp, ahead of the announcement. Musk's public criticism of WhatsApp suggests that he intends for Twitter to provide a superior encrypted messaging service.
Tucker Carlson has announced that he will be relaunching his show on Twitter, which is reportedly adding new features such as encrypted messaging and voice calls. The move comes as social media platforms continue to evolve and expand their offerings to users.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced that the platform will soon add voice and video chat features, bringing it in line with other social media apps like Facebook and Instagram. He also revealed that encrypted direct messaging will be available on Twitter starting Wednesday. Last year, Musk had teased plans for "Twitter 2.0 The Everything App," which would include features like longform tweets and payments.
Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer will present a revised bail package to Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York after Kaplan expressed displeasure about SBF's use of encrypted-messaging apps and virtual private network services while on bail. SBF maintains his innocence in claims relating to the misappropriation of FTX users' funds. However, the entrepreneur could face 115 years of jail time if found guilty under the eight counts against him.